Arrests, low turnout mark start of by-elections

Low voter turnout and arrests for election-related violence marked the kick off of by-elections in Ndhiwa, Kangema and Kajiado North constituencies on Monday morning.

Police in Ndhiwa arrested eight people in connection with a overnight violence and voter intimidation at Kakuni village. The suspects were arraigned at the Ndhiwa law court on Monday morning and charged with assault and robbery

Area OCPD Achesa Litabali said the eight are part of a gang that was intimidating supporters of a candidate in areas perceived to be hostile to him. He said the police are also investigating reports that the overnight violence was coordinated by a police officer stationed outside the region.

“There are allegations that an officer who works outside Nyanza province was involved in the attacks. If its true then this is a rogue officer we have to deal with firmly, ” said Mr Litabali.

Candidates and their agents in the constituency are also reported to have defied the deadline for campaigns and moved from door to door in their bid to galvanize their support.

Polling stations opened at 6 am, with the presiding officer Maurice Simiyu assuring voters that they had put in place mechanisms to ensure the exercise moves smoothly.

“In places where we have large numbers, we have put double streams so that we move on faster. By 8 pm the people of Ndhiwa should know who their MP is, ” said Mr Simiyu. The constituency has 140 polling stations.

Low voter turnout was also witnessed in Kajiado North as polling stations opened at 6 am.

TNA candidate Moses Ole Sakuda voted at Kimuka at 11 am, while WDM's Solomon Kinyanju cast his vote at Bulbul primary school around 9am. ODM's Peter Mositet cast his vote at Arap Moi primary school in Rongai at 10 am.

At the St Monica Academy polling station in Kitengela, agents of the candidates inspected the ballot boxes before the presiding officer Ms Margaret Lona officially started the process. About 665 voters are expected to vote at St Monica Academy.

Polling centres in Kagema constituency also opened on time. At the Muguru polling station, voting started with no incidents. The station with 1, 488 voters is the biggest with three streams.

United Democratic Front(UDF) Simon Kamau voted at the Nyakahura primary school at 6.50am. The station with 870 registered voters opened its doors to voters at 6.02am.

Mzalendo Saba Saba candidate Samuel Njuguna arrived at the Muguru voting station to cast his vote at 8.15 am, while Mkenya Solidarity Simon Gathogo voted at the same station at the same time.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) came in for praise by both the candidates and observers. However isolated cases of voter bribery were reported in some areas on Sunday night.

The TNA candidate, who passed by the Muguru station enroute to his voting station in Tutho, praised the Commission saying he was impressed with the plans put in place to facilitate the exercise.

“I have been visiting polling stations and I have seen IEBC officials who literally slept at the polling stations waiting for voters to come. History is being made and I can say Kenya is headed in the right direction," he told the media.

An observer, John Mathenge of the Global Veterans and Foundation and Peace Ambassadors, while praising the electoral body for good preparations said in an interview his team had witnessed bribery of voters in Rwathia, Kenya Njeru, Kirembu and Karima areas by agents of a candidate whom he identified.

The constituency has about 37,000 registered voters with 47 polling stations divided into 74 stations. Some 331 clerks backed by a large number of officials from the IEBC officials are overseeing the elections.

A communication centre at the tallying centre has been set up at the counting at the ACK Hall in Muguru where presiding officers will be channelling information on the progress on the exercise.

By-elections are taking place in Kangema, Ndhiwa and Kajiado North, seats which fell vacant following the death of Mr John Michuki, Mr Orwa Ojodeh and Prof George Saitoti, respectively.