Low voter turnout marks start of Kakamega governor polls
IEBC officials wait for voters at Buchenya Primary School polling station in Sabatia, Kakamega County on August 29, 2022. There was low voter turnout as voting for Kakamega governor started at 6am.
Voting for the Kakamega governor was off to a slow start on Monday morning as few people could be seen at polling centres after the election officially kicked off at 6am.
In many centres in Ikolomani Constituency for instance, there were no queues more than an hour after the official opening time.
Most polling stations had no voters in the queues, with some having only agents of various candidates who had cast their votes at the start of the polling. This was replicated in almost all constituencies.
Election officials remained idle as they hoped that voters would turn out to cast their votes as the day progressed.
At Lwenya Primary School polling centre, only one vote out of the expected 336 voters had cast by 8am.
Only one vote
But Presiding Officer Anthony Nabali remained hopeful that in the day, voters would show up and exercise their democratic right.
At Shiveye Primary School polling station that has 800 voters, only 25 voters has cast their ballots by 7.20am.
Presiding Officer Eliud Atema said voting had started off at a slow pace.
He said the 25 voters arrived at different times as no queues were witnessed.
Seven candidates are fighting to succeed outgoing Governor Wycliffe Oparanya who has served his constitutional two terms.
They are Fernandes Barasa (ODM), Shakhalaga Khwa Jirongo (UDP), Suleiman Sumba (Kanu), Cleophas Malala (ANC), Samuel Omukoko (MDP), Austin Otieno (independent) and Michael Osundwa (independent).
