Low turnout and technical issues with voting equipment marred the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party primaries in Kakamega and Baringo counties.
The ruling party held the primaries to select candidates in preparation for the November by-elections.
The two by-elections occasioned by the death of their leaders, Malulu Injendi, Malava Member of Parliament (MP) and William Cheptumo, who represented Baringo in the Senate.
President William Ruto speaks during a burial ceremony for the late Baringo Senator, William Cheptumo held at Arap Moi Secondary School in Bartabwa, Baringo County on March 01, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
In Baringo County, all the 984 polling stations opened at 8 am on Saturday, but as of 10 am, not more than 15 voters had visited each of the stations.
At AIC Visa Oshwal Primary School in Kabarnet town, only 16 of the 1,034 registered voters had cast their votes by 10 am.
Several polling centres in Baringo North and Baringo South also experienced a slow exercise due to technical hitches after the electronic voter gadgets failed to operate.
At Ossen Primary School polling station, Baringo North, only a handful of voters exercised their democratic right minutes before the gadgets failed.
“The gadget failed, forcing us to wait for a couple of minutes. The result was several voters leaving before engaging in the exercise,” said Moses Kipkorir, one of the voters.
The senatorial seat fell vacant following the demise of Cheptumo in February this year after a long illness.
In the 2022 general elections, the late Senator won by a landslide under the UDA ticket, garnering 141,777 votes to trounce the then Senator Gideon Moi of Kanu.
The Kanu chairman, who was defending his seat for the third term, came second in the polls, getting 71,480, while Felix Chelaite of The Service Party (TSP) garnered 3,261.
Nine aspirants have been cleared by the UDA party to vie for the seat, including Vincent Kiprono Chemitei, Wycliffe Kipsang Tobole, Sylas Tochim, and Daniel Kiptoo.
Other aspirants, Reuben Chepsongol, Lineus Kamket, Evans Mundulel, Joseph Cherutoi and Isaiah Kirukmet withdrew their candidacy, but their names remained on the voting gadget.
At the far-flung Akwichatis polling station in Tiaty East, more than 540 voters were left stranded after unknown people made away with the voting gadget and fled to the bush.
“We do not know their intentions. Hundreds of voters have been left stranded, and the suspects are yet to be traced," said Akodoreng Akoma, a local.
Malava MP Moses Malulu Injendi. He died at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
In Malava Sub-County, Kakamega, only a handful of the voters turned out for the exercise.
At Lugusi Primary School voting centre in Chemuche ward, where voting commenced at 6 am, only 350 out of the 1,240 registered voters had cast their votes by 3 pm.
“I am afraid that we will not manage to reach half of the total registered voters by the time the exercise comes to an end,” said the Presiding Officer, Vivian Andeko.
Among the aspirants included Mr Ryan Injendi Malulu, son of the late MP Malulu Injendi, David Ndakwa, Leonard Shimaka and Simon Kangwana, who all vowed to remain united in UDA irrespective of who wins the ticket.
UDA Vice Chairperson Kelvin Lunani said the party will ensure that the people’s choice becomes the official flag bearer of UDA.
During a training for senate aspirants in Baringo County at the Kenya Forest Research Institute in Marigat on September 17, the Party’s election board chairman, Antony Mwaura, indicated that they would be using the electronic voting system for the first time during the party primaries.
He assured attendees that election results would be transmitted in real time through the technology.
Mary Mutinda, a commissioner on the UDA party elections board, said that the presiding officers would be given codes to activate the gadgets in the morning.
“The system saves time and cannot be corrupted. If you try to play with the thermal printer, we have receipts that have our serial number and logo, which will not be interfered with,” she added.
