Results stream in as tallying continues

Presiding officers queue as they wait to present ballot boxes at Mokowe constituency tallying centre in Lamu on October 27, 2017. PHOTO | KALUME KAZUNGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said 35,564 polling stations opened on Thursday.
  • Presiding officer was arrested for absconding duty after he abandoned ballot boxes.

Results are streaming in at the National Tallying Centre in Bomas of Kenya with the electoral agency saying it has so far received 36,769 forms 34A and 57 forms 34B.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati in a post on his Twitter account said the forms have been posted on the public portal.

“As our ROs receive form 34A's and tabulate them to produce 34B, our verification team is working pari passu to ensure the numbers add up,” he said in another post.

The IEBC also said its Returning officers have started arriving at Bomas with hard copies of results they sent electronically.

Four ballot boxes that have been abandoned by presiding officers at the Shanzu Teachers College tallying centre in Kisauni Constituency. PHOTO | GITONGA MARETE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

The tallying of votes is also underway in most constituency centres countrywide a day after the repeat presidential election.

In a press briefing Thursday, Mr Chebukati had said voter turnout was estimated at 48 per cent by 5pm.

He said 35,564 polling stations opened on Thursday.

BAD WEATHER

However, there was delay in transporting ballot boxes to the constituency tallying centres Friday in some counties due to bad weather.

In Garsen vehicles transporting the ballot boxes from five polling stations in Garsen North ward to Maridhiano CBO Hall were stuck in mud following heavy rains in the region.

Presiding and security officers from Choya, Lazima, Maziwa, Kitetere and Mwina polling stations spent night in the bushes following the incident.

JUBILEE

In some areas, Jubilee Party had parallel tallying centres.

In Roysambu constituency, area MP Wahienya Ndirangu was overseeing the tallying and said the results they had matched the final numbers announced by Returning officer Emmanuel Onyango.

In Kilifi, a presiding officer was arrested for absconding duty after he abandoned ballot boxes at Mapimo Polytechnic tallying centre and switched off his phone.

ABANDON

Police managed to trace the Kwa Ndomo polling station presiding officer, who has been identified as Nicholas Surei.

Tallying of votes in Kisauni constituency at the Shanzu Teachers College was halted after four presiding officers abandoned their ballot boxes at the centre.

"They cannot be reached since their phones are switched off and I cannot announce the results in their absence," says Returning Officer Alphonce Tsuwi.

RESULTS

So far, final election results have been received in the following constituencies: Ainabkoi, Baringo Central, Buuri, Eldama Ravine, Embakasi North, Emurua Dikirr, Endebess, Gatundu South, Igembe Central, Igembe North, Ikolomani, Isiolo South, Kaiti, Kajiado Central, Kajiado North, Kapseret, Kesses, Kiminini, Kirinyaga Central, Kuresoi South, Kwanza, Lunga Lunga, Makueni, Malindi, Masinga, Mwatate, Nambale, Narok East, Ndia, Nyeri Town, Roysambu, Saboti, Saku, Soy, Thika, Tigania East, Tinderet, Turbo and Voi, Wajir North, Wundanyi.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is leading in most of the constituencies.

ELECTION DAY

Balloting was mainly peaceful on Election Day in the poll boycotted by the main opposition coalition, the National Super Alliance (Nasa).

However, the turnout was low in most polling stations as compared to the August 8 General Election, whose presidential poll was quashed by the Supreme Court, citing “illegalities and irregularities”.

Reporting by Galgalo Bocha, Leonard Onyango, Charles Lwanga and Gitonga Marete.