Voting underway in Kiagu, Mahoo wards by-elections
An IEBC official checks a voter's temperature in Mahoo ward.
Voting is currently underway in the Kiagu and Mahoo wards by-elections.
Voting kicked off at 6am in various polling centres in both Kiagu in Meru County and Mahoo in Taita Taveta County.
Security has been beefed up and voters are required to observe Covid-19 containment measures including social distancing and having their temperatures checked.
Both by-elections are experiencing low voter turnouts.
The Kiagu by-election has attracted three aspirants, Mr Donald Fundi of Jubilee, Mr Daniel Kimuyu (United Democratic Alliance) and Mr Samuel Obwoge (Tujibebe Wakenya).
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Taveta returning officer Abdul Jamanda said voting in the polling stations spread across the ward kicked off without hitches.
He, however, confirmed that there was low voter turnout in some of the polling centres but exuded confidence that the numbers would increase.
"Being a by-election we don't expect a high voter turnout. But we are well prepared," Mr Jamanda said.
The hotly contested by-election is widely viewed as a show of might between President Uhuru Kenyatta (Jubilee) and his deputy William Ruto (UDA).
On Wednesday, the rival campaign teams traded accusations of vote-rigging and voter bribery.
UDA petitioned IEBC expressing their discontent with the involvement of Mr Saha Mazungu, a former Taveta returning officer who has been training agents.
Mr Mazungu is the current Constituency Elections Coordinator in Murang’a County.
In the protest letter, signed by Secretary-general Victoria Maina, the party demanded IEBC to recall the officer with immediate effect.
Voters queue at Mahoo Primary School in Taveta as voting kicks off in the Mahoo Ward by-election.
She claimed in 2013, the officer who was the Taveta returning officer announced Mr Basil Criticos as the winner of the Taveta parliamentary seat only to later declare Ms Naomi Shaban, a situation which led to violence in the constituency.
In 2017, Ms Maina further alleged, Mr Mazungu declared Mr Kyalo Kyele as the winner of the Mahoo ward seat but revoked the announcement to confirm the late Ronald Sagurani as duly elected.
"He has also been seen closely liaising with one of the candidates in this race. Given the mention of the stakeholder, we have no confidence in the officer to adversely influence Mahoo ward by-election," she stated.
But Ms Shaban, who has been leading the campaigns for the Jubilee candidate, said they were confident with the IEBC preparations for the by-election.
"IEBC can send whoever they want for this exercise. We cannot impose on who they should send and as long as they don't interfere with the voting then we don't have any issues with that," she said.
In Kiagu ward, voting kicked off on time but with a low turnout due to early morning rains.
In some polling stations, voting was slowed down by biometric machine hitches while some voters were missing from the IEBC register.
IEBC officials assured voters that all arrangements had been made to ensure a free and fair process.
The by-election was postponed to today after an earlier date of October 14 was cancelled due to a court case.
Kiagu ward seat fell vacant after the death of Eunice Karegi, who succumbed to cancer in June. The ward has 11,045 registered voters.
IEBC commissioner Francis Wanderi said the commission was prepared for any eventualities in the by election.
He said no hitches had been reported from the 26 polling stations by 10am.
"We have received concerns about voters missing from the register but there are clear guidelines of verification. Those who cannot be identified by fingerprints can use their ID number," Mr Wanderi said.
The by-election has attracted 10 candidates with the Jubilee Party and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) keen on taking the seat.
Party agents assist a voter at a polling booth at ACK Makandune Secondary school polling station in Kiagu Ward, Meru.
The candidates are Samson Kinyua, Jubilee Party, Simon Kiambi of UDA, Milton Mwenda of Chama cha Kazi (CCK), Scholastica Mwendwa of Party of Democratic Unity (PDU), Joseph Mwangi (Democratic Party) and Patrick Kamanda (Chama Cha Uzalendo).
Others are Richard Mwangi (Republican Liberty Party), Haron Kaburu (Maendeleo Chap Chap), Douglas Bundi (Safina) and Nabea Kinyua of Ford Kenya.
Mr Kinyua expressed concern over low turnout in the morning and called on the IEBC to address the register hitches.
Kiagu Jubilee aspirant Samson Magambo expressed concern over low turnout.
The by-election has also shaped up as a political battle between President Kenyatta and his deputy Ruto through their political outfits.
The Kiagu by-election was postponed following a case where CCK’s candidate was disqualified by the IEBC on grounds that he had not resigned from public service within the stipulated timelines.
However, Mr Mwenda of CCK was reinstated by the high court after he appealed the IEBC's decision.
Jubilee, UDA and CCK are now banking on the by-election to boost their fortunes in the Mt Kenya East region.
