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Security has been heightened in Lamu County amid  intense campaigns for the Tuesday elections. 

And movement has been restricted again as from 1700 hours. Vehicles are not allowed into the county past 6 pm, with several roadblocks introduced to curb physical movement.

Politicians are to end their campaigns early to avoid  confrontation with Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), who are manning the road blocks.

Bars and clubs are not allowed to operate past 10pm.

“I was forced to sit at the roadside by KDF for moving past 5pm,” says a Mpeketoni resident who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal.

In January, the National Security Council (NSC) declared several parts of Lamu County “disturbed” and ordered a dusk-to-dawn curfew for 30 days. It was extended after renewed terrorist attacks. The locations were Mkunumbi, Majembeni, Ndambwe, Witu, Pandanguo, Dide Waride, Hamasi, Bomani, Hongwe, Mpeketoni, Bahari, Mapenya and Hindi.

In April, the government lifted the dusk-to-dawn curfew after peace returned to the affected locations.

Currently, politicians are in a last minute rush to woo voters. Jubilee Party chairman Nelson Dzuya camped in the county for over two weeks, pleading with voters to vote for Jubilee candidates. 

 Top State official

Kenya Kwanza running mate Rigathi Gachagua visited the county at the weekend. He accused a top  government official of threatening police officers and directing them to harass boda boda operators. “I want to tell our police officers not to be intimidated by a person who will go home alongside President Uhuru Kenyatta once he retires,” he said.

Governor Fahim Twaha (Jubilee Party) hopes to retain his seat as he battles it out with former governor Issa Timamy (Kenya Kwanza.

Senatorial candidiates are: Anuar Loitiptip,  Khamis Bwagao, Joseph Githuku, Francis Mugo,Ahmed Bunu and Yusuf Abubakar. 

The incumbent, Loitiptip, is vying  as  independent ticket after he lost the UDA ticket to Francis Mugo.

In the Woman Representative race, five women want to replace incumbent Ruweida Mohamed Obbo, who is eyeing the Lamu East constituency seat. They are Lamu County Assembly nominated MCA Amina Kale, former Kenya Ports Authority employee Nana Mote, nutritionist and business woman Esha Nizar, entrepreneur  and Myra Botanics CEO Maryam Abubakar, counselling psychologist Loyce Dama Luwali and former  Lapsset community liaison officer Muthoni Marubu.

Another hotly contested seat is the Lamu West Constituency seat with 10 aspirants seeking to unseat incumbent Stanley Muthama (Jubilee).

Those seeking to unseat him are: Former Lamu County CEC Josphat Musembi, Rishad Amana, Abdirashid Mwaura,Zaccheaus Mboche, Abdu Kassim, Mary Nyaga, Khamis Kaviha,Haasan Albeity,Alwy Badawy.

Lamu, one of the six coastal counties, is the least populous county in Kenya with a population of 143,920 people, according to the 2019 census. It only has two constituencies;Lamu East and Lamu West. 

Lamu East is most domiciled by Bajunis while Lamu West has various tribes with Gikuyus having the largest population.