ODM candidate Hussein Abdi wins Batalu by-election

ODM candidate Hassan Jimal Abdi on Thursday won Wajir's Batalu Ward by-elections, dealing Jubilee Party a blow.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (EBC) declared Mr Abdi winner with 1,647 votes.

In second place was Jubilee's Idhow Adan Ibrahim with 1,069 votes and then came Ford Kenya’s Gedow Adan Hassan emerged with six votes and Ibrahim Noor Hussein of the Party of Development and Reforms (PDR) with two.

VOTE REPORT

Returning officer (RO) Abdibashir Ali Noor told the Nation that 2,724 votes were cast and that the turnout was 58.08 per cent.

The RO added that Batalu had 4,690 registered voters and 12 polling stations.

Mr Noor described the exercise as "highly successful and peaceful", and said there were no mechanical and logistical hitches.

“Generally, the exercise went on smoothly,” he said.

The newly-elected member of county assembly thanked the people and promised to improve their welfare.

“I would like to thank the people of Batalu for having faith in me,” he said.

PDR WITHDRAWAL

The seat fell vacant after a Wajir court nullified the election of Mr Ibrahim Noor Hussein, whom the IEBC had said won the August 8, 2017 poll with 1,099 votes.

The petitioner, Mr Abdi, who came second in the contest with 946 votes, told the court he was dissatisfied with the results and claimed his rival violated rules.

Despite pursuing the case up to the Supreme Court, Mr Hussein failed to defend his seat, as the country’s apex court upheld the decision of the magistrate’s court.

Three weeks ago, the PDR candidate announced that he had withdrawn from the race in support of Jubilee's in the interest of peace.

However, his name remained on the ballot papers.

Asked why, IEBC Commissioner Abdi Yakub Guliye, who oversaw the exercise, said that the commission did not receive an official notification on his withdrawal from the race.

“As far as we are concerned, we cleared four candidates for the race. If there are underhand deals, the commission is not part of them,” Mr Guliye said in an earlier interview.

“The requirement is that if someone wants to withdraw, [he or she] has to officially notify the commission. We have not received any communication to that effect."

He said gazettement of Mr Abdi's victory will be quickened so he can start working.

TURNOUT

Mr Guliye said they were worried about the weather but that it did not rain so election materials got to their destinations on time.

Turnout was low in the early hours but the numbers increased from about noon and no chaotic incidents were reported.

Some supporters of the Orange Democratic Movement's candidate celebrated before vote counting was completed.

Via Twitter, the party's Secretary-General, Mr Edwin Sifuna, said, “Fourth straight victory in two months for the ODM party, this time in Batalu Ward, Wajir North Constituency."

Wajir North MP Ahmed Abdisalan, who was at the Buna Secondary School tallying centre, also congratulated the new winner and praised the IEBC for a fair process.

“I wish to applaud the IEBC for the way it handled this elections. It has boosted the public's confidence in their capacity to conduct free and fair elections,” he said.

Mr Abdisalan urged residents to unite and shun politics of division.