Isiolo polling stations register high turnout despite challenges
Moyale constituency Returning Officer Jeffina Mauta (second left) accompanied by other IEBC officials during a press briefing at ACK Church Hall on August 9, 2022. He explained that they experienced hiccups with the KIEMS kits failure during the voting exercise.
Voting started smoothly in semi-arid Isiolo County, with high turnout reported at most of the polling stations in Isiolo Central and Isiolo North.
Delays due to fingerprint identification challenges were experienced at some stations in Bullapesa and Wabera wards, with some voters persevering and others opting to leave.
A majority of voters were unable to identify the streams they were to vote at, creating confusion.
"I have waited for two hours, only to later learn that I am supposed to vote at stream C," one voter told the Nation as he proceeded to join a different queue.
Former Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo, who is seeking comeback as an independent canddate, addresses journalists after casting his vote at St Kizito Primary School polling station on August 9, 2022.
Delays were also caused by a rift between political agents and presiding officers when some of the former were refused entry to polling stations.
Jubilee governor candidate Abdi Ibrahim Guyo and the party's woman rep hopeful Mumina Bonaya were among the first leaders to cast their votes at the Wabera Primary School polling station.
Former Governor Godana Doyo and ODM opponent Halakhe Waqo cast their ballot at St Kizito Primary and Acacia polling stations respectively. They both urged for peaceful elections.
Mr Doyo complained that the electoral agency’s biometric kits were slow and asked officials to strengthen the system so that all voters could cast their ballots within a short time.
He also called for the extension of voting time at polling stations that opened late, including Qalifa Primary School in Merti.
St Kizito Primary, which opened around 6.30am, had served only 60 voters by 9am.
Former Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo casting his vote at St Kizito Primary School polling station on August 9, 2022.
"The IEBC should find a way of compensating for the time lost when some of the polling stations opened late," said Mr Doyo.
Mr Waqo, whose fingerprints took a while to be read, said some Azimio agents were denied access to polling stations though they had the required documents.
"The electoral agency should be accommodative enough and allow agents from various political sides to observe the polls as tasked by their respective candidates," he said.
A man casts his vote at Waso Primary School polling station in Isiolo North on August 9, 2022.
Isiolo North MP candidate Abdi Dida (ODM) also reported experiencing similar challenges but they were resolved.
In Marsabit County, malfunctioning Kiems kits slowed voting in the border constituency of Moyale.
Constituency Returning Officer Jeffiner Mauta said that nine of 190 gadgets failed to work.
“The voting started smoothly at 6am at all polling stations in Moyale constituency without any notable incidents, apart from the failure of a few Kiems kits, which were quickly replaced by our technical staff,” Mr Mauta said.
Mr Mauta assured voters that they had enough gadgets to replace any that failed to function properly.
Voting started at 6am at Funan Nyata, Baraza Park, Moyale Boys High, Manyatta Madrasa and St Mary’s, Fatul Bahri, Sesil, Butiye, and Moyale primary schools.
Mr Mauta said 30 per cent turnout had been recorded by around mid-morning at most stations.
At Funan Nyata, which has 874 registered voters, hundreds of voters had started streaming in at 7.10am.
At Moyale Boys, with 1,372 registered voters, hundreds of voters had queued by 7.30am.
Moyale is the most populous constituency in Marsabit County, with 68,468 registered voters across 162 polling stations. There is only one GK Prison polling station, which has six voters.
Some presiding officers decried illiteracy as a major hiccup in voting. A high number of voters had to be assisted to vote by their selected aides in the presence of presiding officers or their deputies and party agents.
Mr Mauta said the IEBC would ensure that all qualified voters had a chance to vote even if they could not read.
He vowed that no IEBC officers would take advantage of illiterate voters to influence their decisions.
He urged the public to ensure that illiterate voters were accompanied by assistants. If none was available, presiding officers and their deputies would help the voters in the presence of party agents.
He was responding to allegations from one candidate that some presiding officers and their deputies helped illiterate voters tick the names of contestants they did not prefer.
“Illiterate voters are advised to be accompanied by assistants of their choice to polling stations to avert a hue and cry about manipulation by anyone,” Mr Mauta said.
