Kakamega woman collapses at polling centre

A voter collapsed and died while waiting for the opening of a polling station in Kakamega County.

Ms Victoria Akurala from Shinyalu constituency had joined other voters on the queue at Muraka polling station at 5am and collapsed shortly before the start of the exercise at 6am.

She was rushed to Nala hospital in Kakamega town and pronounced dead on arrival.

BLOOD PRESSURE

Mr Felix Shiyenzi, her brother, said she had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was receiving treatment.

Mr Shiyenzi said when they arrived at the polling station they found a group of voters already on the queue.

"She suddenly collapsed and our efforts to resuscitate her failed. We rushed her to hospital but she did not make it," Mr Shiyenzi said.

SYSTEM FAILURE

At the same time, some delays were reported at polling stations due to breakdown of biometric voter registration kits but no major hitches or ugly incidents were reported as voting kicked off in the county.

Residents started arriving at polling stations as early as 4am and waited patiently for the official commencing time, 6am.

VERIFICATION

However at Mabole polling station in Butere, incumbent Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said the verification of voters was taking too long.

Mr Oparanya said names of 20 voters who had transferred to the polling station were missing from the registers.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission County Returning Officer Grace Rono said voting was progressing smoothly in the 1,497 polling stations in the 12 constituencies.

SECURITY

In Mumias West constituency, Returning Officer Peres Cherono Maiyo sustained slight injuries after her vehicle was involved in an accident as she was being driven to different polling stations to monitor the voting.

Ms Rono said the returning officer was rushed to hospital for medical checkup.

Mr Tito Kilonzi, the county police commander, said voting had gone smoothly in most parts of the region.