Low turnout in Narok despite numerous wooing efforts by Uhuru

Narok North IEBC officials and party agents during tallying of votes at the Maasai Mara University hall centre on October 27, 2017. President Uhuru Kenyatta got 37 per cent votes in Narok County. PHOTO | GEORGE SAYAGIE | NATION MEDIA.

What you need to know:

  • Opposition leader Raila Odinga got 1,257 votes, despite withdrawing from the repeat election.
  • No votes were cast in two polling centers, including the Narok GK Prison.

President Uhuru Kenyatta garnered just 37 per cent of registered votes in Narok in the repeat presidential election, a drop from 53.09 per cent he got in the August 8 General Election.

The president got 126, 930 votes out of the 431,730 registered voters in six Narok constituencies.

The low voter turnout was against expectations given that he made several visits to the county and rewarded the Maa community with appointments and other

VOTES

Opposition leader Raila Odinga got 1,257 votes, despite withdrawing from the repeat election.

In the August 8 General Election, the President got 149, 585 votes in the county, which was 53.09 per cent of the votes cast while Mr Odinga got 130, 032 votes, (46.15 per cent).

Mr Kenyatta was expected to get more votes in the county since he had made efforts to win favour of the Maa community and some leaders had decamped from the opposition.

Those who defected include former Narok West MP Patrick Ole Ntutu and former ICT Permanent Secretary Joseph Musuni.

“The President should have garnered at least an 80 per cent votes in the whole of county,” said Mr Kaitikei Rotiken, who contested the Narok North parliamentary seat in the August polls but lost.

OPPOSITION

Opposition leaders led by Senator Ledama Ole Kina and Narok North MP Moitalel ole Kenta said the county is a National Super alliance stronghold.

“Narok is in ODM. I thank voters for refusing to participate in a sham electoral process to endorse an illegitimate government,” Mr Kenta said on phone.

In Narok North constituency, no votes were cast in two polling centers, including the Narok GK Prison.

Constituency Returning officer Mr Mark Lempaka said none of the six voters at Olopirik Primary School polling station turned out to vote.

Voting did not take place at Entontol Primary School polling centre after rowdy youths stormed it and destroyed ballot materials.