Kenya elections: Long queues as voting start

Kenyans started casting their votes Tuesday in an exercise characterized by long queues.

Voting started at 6am in most polling stations where voters started trooping in as early as 3am.

Kirinyaga gubernatorial candidate Martha Karua was among the first people to cast their vote at Mugumo Primary School at 6.19 am. She was accompanied by running mate Gachoki Gitari.

At Kimala Primary School polling station in Taveta constituency, Taita Taveta County, voting started at 6 am without a hitch.

Voting in some polling stations started late.

COMPLAINTS

At Racetrack Primary School polling station in Nakuru, voting started in one stream causing complaints from voters.

The situation was the same at Embakasi Social Hall in Embakasi East constituency.

The Presiding Officer Ronald Odima said some agents arrived late causing the delay.

Voting had not started by 6.30am at Tsunza Primary School polling station in Kinango constituency as voting materials had not yet arrived.

DISPERSE

Election observers have also arrived in some polling stations.

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observers Group to the Kenyan elections John Mahama and his team arrived at St Moi Avenue Primary School in Starehe constituency, Nairobi at 6.45am.

Police shot in the air to disperse unruly crowd outside the gate of Kiambiu Social Hall in Kamukunji constituency, Nairobi County. There was a commotion as people in the crowd were pushing and shoving forcing police to intervene. The incident has not disrupted voting.

INMATES

Inmates, who registered to vote in Nanyuki and Wundanyi prisons also voted Tuesday.

Deputy Officer in charge of the Wundanyi GK Prison Charles Ogur said ex-prisoners, who were released six months ago, are allowed to return to the institution to vote as they were registered while in custody.