Polls marred by low voter turnout as voters keep away

Low turnout and claims of voter bribery characterised yesterday’s by-elections in Elgeyo Marakwet, Kandara constituency in Muranga, Garissa Township and Shela Ward in Lamu county.

The elections were being held to replace three MPs who resigned after their appointment to President William Ruto’s Cabinet.

They include former senator Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) and MPs Alice Wahome (Kandara) and Aden Duale (Garissa Township).

The Shela Ward seat fell vacant after the Member of County Assembly, Azhar Ali Mbarak, contested and won the Lamu County Assembly Speaker position last September.

In Garissa, the usually long queues seen during General Election were not evident in major polling stations with election officials sitting idle most of the time with voters coming in batches.

 Election officials attributed the voter apathy to failed political pledges that had become synonymous with every election cycle.

 There were no major incidents reported, however, there were claims of voter bribery in some places.

 Defence Cabinet secretary Aden Duale who cast his vote at Garissa Library polling station expressed optimism that the ruling party United Democratic Alliance (UDA) will carry the day.

 “I have voted for myself for many years but today I am voting for someone else,” he added.

Front runners

 Those in the race are Rtd (Major) Dekow Mohamed Barrow of UDA popularly known as Major Dekow, Nassir Dolal alias Jofle United Democratic Movement (UDM), Ibrahim Malow (Narc Kenya), Abdifaisal Amin of Orange Democratic Movement and former Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman of Democratic Party.

 Both UDA and UDM candidates who are the front runners for the seat expressed dismay at the low voter turnout, asking voters to come and exercise their right to choose their representative in Parliament.

 “People have come out to vote, however, there is extremely low turnout and I appeal to our people to come out to exercise their rights,” Dolal said.

It was a similar scene in the Elgeyo-Marakwet Senate contest that was marred by claims of massive voter bribery.

 A spot-check by People Daily in many polling stations revealed that the stations were opened early but a handful of voters had cast their ballots by mid-day.

This was witnessed at Iten Primary, Kaptarakwa, and Kapsisi polling stations in Keiyo North sub-county and Yatiane and Flax polling stations in Keiyo South constituency.

 Safina Party candidate Jerotich Seii who cast her vote at Yatiane Primary School polling station in Keiyo South claimed that there was a massive voter bribery going late into the night on Wednesday and on the polling day.

“I personally witnessed this at Nyaru where voters were asked to remain behind after a public participation exercise with no regard to the rule of law. Vehicles were also moving around dishing money into the dead of the night. This comprises the purity of the democratic process,” Seii noted.

  Party for Peace and Democracy (PPD) Tim Kipchumba also claimed that there was voter bribery, citing some polling stations in Kamwosor area in Keiyo South sub-county.

“We hope IEBC will ensure free, fair and verifiable election. The people should be left to exercise their democratic rights and elect a senator of their choice without any undue pressure,” Kipchumba said.

  United Democratic Alliance candidate William Kisang who cast his vote at Chebiemit in Marakwet West constituency at 10am also decried the low voter turnout and called on the residents to turnup and exercise their democratic right.

 “We know people are busy in their farms but this is a serious exercise which will enable you to elect a leader of your choice. Please let’s come out and vote. We’ve not witnessed any hitches even in Kerio Valley which has witnessed cases of insecurity,” said Kisang.

Heavy rains

  County Returning officer Charles Mutai said that besides voter apathy, no other hitches were experienced during the exercise.

 “Despite the heavy rains pounding the region we managed to ensure that polling materials reach all areas in time. Security has also been beefed in banditry prone Kerio Valley,” Mutai noted while briefing the press in Iten town.

 Equally in Kandara, voter turnout was at 25 per cent going by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission records.

 Chege Njuguna who was vying for the seat on the UDA party ticket expressed concern over the low turnout during the exercise.

 “I am banking on the high turn out to emerge the winner at the end of the day” he said.

 UDA Secretary General Veronica Maina said the low turnout was a major concern for them but was hopeful the party candidate will emerge the winner.

 “The outcome of the poll will help us determine the popularity of the party in the region,” said Maina.

And in Lamu, Returning Officer Saha Isaiah said a majority of residents opted to go to work while others stayed at home.

“The challenge we experienced in the exercise is that many voters did not turn out, those who came out did not vote, instead they opted to go around with their daily duties,” said Isaiah.

The ward has 3,632 registered voters across nine polling stations on Shella and Manda islands.

Four candidates, including the only woman Saamiya Mohamed Abduljabar, commonly known as Saamiya British, of UDA, are lined up to compete for the MCA vacancy.

The others are Atwa Salim of ODM, Mohamed Hassan Ali, aka Bablo, of the Amani National Congress (ANC) and Nizar Mohamed of the United Green Movement Party.

Reporting by Wangari Njuguna, Wycliffe Kipsang, Harrison Kivisu and KNA