IEBC conducts four ward by-elections in four counties
Maxwell Magoma, the Jubilee candidate in the Nyacheki Ward by-election in Kisii County, casts his vote at the Cooperative Society polling station on October 26, 2016. The IEBC is conducting four ward by-elections in four counties. PHOTO | MAGATI OBEBO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The four wards are Sala (Tana River), Nyacheki (Kisii), Kalokol (Turkana) and Mosiro (Kajiado).
- In Kisii, the Nyacheki Ward seat has attracted the largest candidature at 15 with Kalokol and Sala both having four candidates.
- Security personnel were Tuesday deployed to the polling stations, two per station, as per IEBC rules.
- The voting started at 6am and will close at 5pm.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is Wednesday conducting by-elections in four ward in Tana River, Kisii, Turkana and Kajiado counties.
Over 20,700 registered voter are expected to take part in the by-elections.
The four wards are Sala, Bura Constituency (Tana River County), Nyacheki, Bobasi Constituency (Kisii County), Kalokol, Turkana Central Constituency (Turkana County) and Mosiro, Kajiado West Constituency (Kajiado County).
In Kisii, the Nyacheki Ward seat has attracted the largest candidature at 15 with Kalokol and Sala both having four candidates.
Mosiro Ward has only two candidates running for the position.
Some 64 polling stations are involved in the by-elections with about 320 officials overseeing the exercise.
The electoral commission said it had engaged two voter educators in each of the wards to sensitise voters on the polling process.
The voter educators are also required to address cases of spoilt votes, election malpractices and to build peace among participants.
POLLING OFFICIALS WELL TRAINED
IEBC Communications and Public Affairs Manager Andrew Limo said all polling officials were successfully trained and are ready for the exercise.
“Voter educators have been carrying out their work in the respective wards and all the polling officials have undergone adequate training to ensure that this exercise runs smoothly,” he said.
The commission has hinted that there might be a delay in the electronic transmission of provisional results from Kalokol and Mosiro.
“This is because of the poor or lack of a good network coverage in those wards,” said Mr Limo.
He assured voters that the by-elections will be transparent.
“We believe the exercise will be fair and transparent and we have received no complaints from anyone regarding the by-elections,” Mr Limo said.
He added that the IEBC has put in place measures to guard the integrity of every election including mapping out risks and putting in place mitigating measures.
AVOID MLAPRACTICES
He added that the polling agents dispatched to the wards were specially trained to ensure the elections run smoothly.
He urged the public to inform commission officials or law enforcement officers of any impending malpractices.
“Any citizen who comes across any specific malpractices that could compromise the polls should report to us or the law enforcement [officers],” he said.
IEBC officials in Nyacheki, Kisii County, led by returning officer Jackline Osiemo earlier said preparations for the exercise were in top gear.
She said all election materials had been delivered ahead of the Wednesday voting.
Ms Osiemo said at least 51 presiding officials, their deputies and 74 clerks will conduct the voting.
Security personnel were Tuesday deployed to the polling stations, two per station, as per the IEBC rules.
“We have also made arrangements for tighter security to ensure the exercise is carried out in a free and fair manner,” she said.
The voting started at 6am and will close at 5pm.
