Low turn out hits Nyaki West mini-poll
A voter casts his vote during the Nyaki West MCA election on August 29, 2022.
Nyaki West Ward election in Meru was hit by a low voter turnout with only 37 percent having voted by 3 pm.
According to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) returning officer Karen Mwangi, 7,800 out of 21, 192 registered voters had cast their ballot by 3 pm.
The election was postponed after one of the 16 candidates was left out in the ballot paper.
A spot check by Nation at a number of polling stations established that there were no queues as voters came in one by one.
“We are concerned that voters are not coming in as they should. However, we are hoping that they will turn up before the stations close at 5 pm,” Mr David Mutwiri, a presiding officer at Chugu polling station said.
The election had been challenged in court after IEBC failed to stop voting on August 9. However, the High Court in Meru dismissed the application by Lewis Kithinji, a Devolution Empowerment Party candidate.
Mr Kithinji had claimed that his independent tally showed that he had won the contest and a repeat poll on August 29 would disadvantage him.
However, Justice Edward Muriithi ruled that since Mr Mutuma’s name had been left out of the ballot meant that the election was invalid and no winner could be announced.
“The court does not therefore find that a prima facie arguable case has been made out by the applicant to grant the applicant the orders he sought… For avoidance of doubt, the elections for MCA for Nyaki West ward shall proceed on the August 29 as scheduled by the IEBC,” ruled Justice Muriithi.
