The electoral commission has announced that by-elections in eight electoral areas, including Kakamega and Mombasa governor races, will be held on August 23. The elections in these areas were suspended following due to an unprecedented ballot papers mix-up, the agency said.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said the by-elections have been scheduled soon after the General Elections to allow Kenyans, still in elections mood, to elect their leaders.
Besides Kakamega and Mombasa governor races, other electoral areas that will go to the polls on August 23 are MP races in Rongai, Kitui Rural , Kacheliba and Pokot South constituencies.
Member of the county assemblies (MCA) races that will be held on August 23 are Nyaki West in Meru County and Wanjenga in Embakasi in Nairobi County.
“We are doing the elections in those electoral areas in the next two weeks because Kenyans in those regions need a short period within which to elect their leaders. Holding them shortly after the elections also means that it will be cost-effective as we will be using the same equipment and officers to be deployed in this exercise,” IEBC commissioner Francis Wanderi told the media at the National Tallying Centre in Bomas on Tuesday evening.
Earlier, IEBC said the postponement of the polls in the eight electoral areas was necessitated after ballot papers in the constituency had wrong candidate pictures and details.
However, Mr Wanderi said, elections in Eldas constituency in Wajir County have been adjourned and will begin today at 6am.
Earlier in the day, IEBC vice chairperson Juliana Cherera said the electoral agency had suspended voting in Kitui Rural and Rongai constituencies following a mix-up in pictures of candidates on the ballot paper.
For Eldas, she said voting had been disrupted in the area following an incident of gun fire on Monday night, with election in the area adjourned until the issue is resolved.
“Regarding security, last night the commission was alerted of incidents of gunfire in Eldas constituency election office in Wajir county where ballot materials were stored. During the gunfight, election officials remained trapped inside the offices preparing to dispatch materials to polling stations. Election has been adjourned and voting shall begin once the issue is resolved,” Ms Cherera said.
