Low turnout in Kabete as voters choose new MP in by-election

Security officers at Wangige Primary School polling station on May 4, 2015 during the Kabete by-election. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Low turnout marked the start of Monday’s Kabete parliamentary by-election in which nine candidates are contesting.

Voters were streaming into polling stations in small numbers as voting kicked off at 6 a.m.

In some of the polling stations, there were less than five people in the queues.

Candidates were, however, optimistic that the numbers would increase before the end of voting at 5pm.

The electorate are looking for a replacement for the late MP George Muchai who was murdered on February 7 alongside his two bodyguards and a driver in Nairobi’s CBD.

The constituency has 62,470 voters who are expected to cast their votes in 33 polling centres, which have 92 polling stations, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

ONLY TWO CANDIDATES VOTED

Out of the nine contesting candidates, only Newton Njenga (National Vision Party) and Kiriro wa Ngugi voted.

The others are not registered voters in the constituency. The law allows a candidate to vie for any seat anywhere in the country irrespective of where one registered as a voter.

At some centres such as Kirangari Primary School, the electronic voter identification device failed and IEBC clerks had to use the manual identification system.

IEBC has deployed 750 officers to conduct the poll while 184 police officers from both the regular and Administration Police units are manning the polling stations. Another 20 have been stationed at the tallying centre.

Former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu is battling for the seat on a Jubilee Alliance Party (JAP) ticket.

Others are human rights activist Mr John Wamagata, who is on a Safina ticket, George Mungai (Independent), Isaiah Ndirangu (Party of Democratic Unity), Kavore Kariuki (Narc Kenya), Kiriro wa Ngugi (Democratic Party), Newton Njenga (National Vision Party), Paul Kariuki (Party of Kenya), while Wilson Karanja is contesting on an Orange Democratic Party (ODM) ticket.