Mombasa and Kakamega vote after 3-week wait
Tallying centres that were located in schools in the August 9 election have been moved to other institutions as Mombasa county residents head to the polls to elect their governor today.
Mombasa and Kakamega counties did not elect their governors in the August 9 General Election due to what the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said was a mix-up of ballot papers.
The Mombasa governor contest pits Abdulswamad Nassir of ODM, UDA’s Hassan Omar and William Kingi of Pamoja African Alliance party (PAA).
Others are Daniel Munga Kitsao (Independent), Hezron Awiti (VDP), Said Abdalla (Usawa Kwa Wote), Shafii Makazi (UPIA) and Antony Chitavi (UDP).
Key agencies involved in the elections yesterday said they were ready to deliver a credible and peaceful process.
At least 641,913 registered voters in Mombasa will be expected to cast their votes.
On Sunday, IEBC and security agencies said that every loophole had been sealed to ensure a smooth process.
Mombasa County returning officer Swalha Yusuf confirmed that two of its sub-county tallying centres that were previously in school compounds had been moved to other areas.
“We have enough security for the polling stations and tallying centres. Allidina Visram and Mikindani primary tallying centres have been moved,” said Yusuf.
Yusuf said the Mvita sub-county tallying centre had been moved from Allidina Visram School to National Museum Swahili Culture hall while Jomvu sub-county tallying centre had been moved from Mikindani Primary school compound to Mikindani Social Hall.
Speaking the media at the IEBC regional headquarters, Yusuf said the commission was ready for the elections.
“We have been in consultations with the candidates and we have agreed to ensure the election is peaceful,” she added.
The commission says it had also reshuffled sub county presiding officers in Mombasa following a request by candidates.
By yesterday evening, all ballot papers had been transported to polling stations.
“The politicians will be given a priority to vote, so that they can walk out without influencing voters. Anyone who bribes voters will risk disqualification. Those that are calling on voters to guard votes should know its not allowed,” said Yusuf.
Four prisons
Coast regional police Commander Titus Ndugu said security apparatus in Mombasa County were fully prepared to oversee today’s exercise.
More police officers have been deployed from Kwale, Kilifi and Taita Taveta counties.
“We have more than enough police officers,” he said.
The police boss said some areas which are considered hot spots had been given special attention in deployment of officers.
“We are aware of Changamwe being a hot spot. We have increased police officers in that area and we have further secured all polling stations to enable Mombasa residents to exercise their rights,” he said.
Mombasa County has six constituencies and 30 wards, 1,041 polling stations and four prisons.
Observers have also been deployed to monitor the process.
The agency officials said all agents, media personnel and observers should be accredited to access polling centres.
In Kakamega, an estimated 800,000 voters are expected to go back to polling stations to elect their second governor.
The contest has attracted seven candidates but the main focus is on the two from the main political coalitions led by President-elect William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.
These are Senator Cleophas Malalah of Kenya Kwanza and Fernandes Barasa of Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition.
Also in the race are former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo of United Democratic Party and lawyer Michael Osundwa, who is making a second stab as an independent candidate, after failing to win in 2017.
Confident
IEBC County Returning Officer Joseph Ayatta said yesterday that they were ready for the elections.
“We thank the people of Kakamega for being patient and ask them to turn out in large numbers and cast their votes,” he said.
In the August 9 election, Azimio bagged 10 out of 12 constituency seats and won 48 of the 60 Wards. This is in addition to the Woman Rep’s seat.
While Barasa is boosted by the Azimio MPs and MCAs, Malalah enters the race buoyed by the declaration of Ruto as the President-Elect.
There has been heightened activity in the county after IEBC announced the new poll date with both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza campaigning for their candidates.
Outgoing Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, who is leading Barasa’s campaigns, has said they are confident of winning the seat.
On Friday and Saturday, Raila made an extensive campaign tour of the county to root for Barasa during which he criticised Chebukati for postponing the elections because of “questionable reasons”.
“They knew we were winning and that is why they compromised Chebukati to cancel the elections in the hope that they would force their puppet on the people of Kakamega. They failed,” he said.
On the other hand, Kenya Kwanza brigade led by ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi have also been campaigning for Malalah.
On Thursday, Mudavadi told a rally in Ikolomani that today’s election “was handing residents of the Western region a second chance to increase their representation in government”.
The electoral body allayed fears of repeat failure of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits as witnessed in 154 polling stations on August 9.
“We have enough KIEMS kits and the spare SD cards to ensure smooth running,” the returning officer said.
Western region police boss Peris Kimani assured residents that adequate security measures had been put in place.
“We have put all the necessary security measures in place and I urge residents to turn out in large numbers and cast their ballots without fear,” she told People Daily.
—Reporting by Sophie Njoka, Harrison Kivisu, Dennis Lumiti and Douglas Dindi
