Voting delayed in Kitui as bus ferrying materials is swept by floods

Kitui South legislator Rachel Nyamai casts her ballot at Syomithumo Primary on October 26, 2017. Voting in many parts of Kitui Central was delayed for more than three hours after a bus ferrying materials was swept into a ditch by flash floods. PHOTO | KITAVI MUTUA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • By 10am, IEBC officials were racing to provide other materials for polling stations at Majengo, Muslim Primary, Kitui Central Primary, Maendeleo and Manyenyoni.

  • There was poor turnout in most areas across the county but no ugly incidences were reported as police conducted patrols to maintain peace and order.

  • Elsewhere, the Kiems kit at Unyaa Primary School failed to identify some voters.

Voting was delayed for three hours in some polling stations of Kitui Central after a school bus distributing materials was swept into a ditch by flash floods.

Ballot papers and the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (Kiems) kits for several polling stations within Kitui township were among the election materials damaged after they got soaked in water when the bus veered off the road.

By 10am, IEBC officials were racing to provide other materials for polling stations at Majengo, Muslim Primary, Kitui Central Primary, Maendeleo and Manyenyoni.

A heavy downpour at dawn hampered smooth transportation of voting materials to several parts of Kitui Central, Kitui West and some sections of Kitui East, causing delays and the affected polling stations opened between 9am and 10am.

VOTER TURNOUT

There was poor turnout in most areas across the county but no ugly incidences were reported as police conducted patrols to maintain peace and order.

Elsewhere, the Kiems kit at Unyaa Primary School failed to identify some voters.

Jubilee chief agent for Kitui Central, Isaac Kalua said the kit initially failed to identify him but the technical hitch was later sorted and he was able to vote.

In Kitui South, area MP Rachel Kaki Nyamai of Jubilee Party voted at Syomithumo Primary School in Mutomo Ward.

Ms Nyamai expressed confidence that the voter turnout will improve as the day progresses.