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Eight candidates will be contesting to clinch to the Kandara parliamentary seat in the by-election today.

 The seat had initially attracted close to 40 candidates but a majority dropped their bid along the way.

 Despite the area being a perceived the United Democratic Alliance stronghold, candidates have picked other political entireties to vie for the seat.

 Kibiru PMG is vying on Usawa Kwa Wote party, Samuel Kioi (The New Democrats), Titus Njau (Ford Asili) Joseph Mbugua (JFP), Chege Njuguna (UDA) while Pius Muiruri, David Kamweti and Erustus Gatehi are independent candidates.

 The candidates will be scrambling for 105,149 votes.

 Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officer Rina Kilonzo said all preparations for the exercise have been completed.

 She assured that the commission has put in place measures to ensure free and fair exercise.  “We urge people to turn out in large numbers and exercise their democratic right to elect their Member of Parliament,” she said.

 “We have had a smooth time in the preparations and we don’t expect any hitches tomorrow,” she added.

 Murang’a County  Commander Ali Nuno (pictured left) said adequate security officers have been deployed in all the polling centres to ensure there is order.

 “We dispatched 394 officers to man all the 197 stations and each Ward will have a gazetted officer in the rank of the OSC to handle emerging issues,” he said.