Voters keep off polling as goons unleash chaos

In some regions, voters kept away altogether, discouraged by fears of violence or disillusioned by the political tensions that had built up in the run-up to the vote.

Read: D-Day: Moment of truth for new IEBC team

Polling officials reported significantly low turnout in the early hours of the day, a trend that persisted even as security was reinforced and local leaders urged residents to exercise their civic duty.

Compounding the tension were technical failures at several centres, where Kiems kits stalled, delayed verification of voters, or failed completely —fuelling frustration among those who had braved the uncertainty to cast their ballots. In some stations, voting was temporarily halted as officials scrambled to restore operations, deepening the sense of disorder that marked the day.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Erastus Ethekon last evening asked the police to investigate the disruptions, terming the violence unacceptable and warning that perpetrators would face legal consequences. He said the incidents undermined public confidence in the process and put both officials and voters at risk.

“The commission urges and calls upon all security officers assigned to IEBC duties, as well as those deployed generally in the by-election areas, to remain on high alert, vigilant and responsive in preventing and managing any acts of violence, lawlessness, or disruptions, including during the crucial phases of counting, tallying and declaration of results,” Mr Ethekon said.

“The IEBC Elections Code of Conduct Committee will take action on any complaints relating to breaches of the Elections Code of Conduct, the Elections Act and all other laws governing elections in Kenya,” he said.

In Embu’s Mbeere North Constituency, two groups clashed last evening as vote counting was ongoing, momentarily disrupting the process.

Trouble started when goons armed with clubs arrived and attempted to storm the Siakago Hall polling station in Siakago town. Angered, residents confronted the goons and a fierce fight broke out. At one point residents scampered for safety when one of the goons whipped out a pistol and fired several times.

As the fight escalated, police arrived and fired tear gas canisters at the fighting groups. More heavily armed security officers were deployed at the polling station.

At St Kizito primary school in Evurore ward, three IEBC officials were rescued after they were attacked by residents who suspected them of marking ballot papers in favour of a rival candidate. At least 10 forms were burnt in the fracas. An officer clarified that the officials were filling out some administrative forms, which were mistaken for ballot papers.

This is even as competing camps claimed there was massive voter bribery. Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, Democratic Party leader Justin Muturi and candidates Newton Kariuki (DP), Leonard Muthende (UDA) and Duncan Mbui of Chama cha Kazi said voter bribery was being done openly.

“We have witnessed this in many areas and we call on the IEBC to be strict so as to have a credible election,” Mr Muthende said.

Mr Ruku and Mr Muturi traded accusations, of bribery and being behind the chaos that rocked some areas. Mr Ruku made reference to chaos that erupted at Siakago Hall, where Mr Muturi and his supporters roughed up two people they accused of wearing attire in colours associated with rival parties.

Mr Muturi spotted one of the men wearing a yellow hood and pushed him out of the polling station. Outside the polling station, the DP leader grabbed another man in a red jacket and roughed him up, together with his supporters.

In Western region, violence, voter apathy and bribery claims marred the by-elections.

In Homa Bay’s Kasipul Constituency, a gun stolen from MP Peter Kaluma’s bodyguard was found last evening after a day of violent clashes. County Police Commander Lawrence Koilem said that 23 people had been arrested during the violence, 15 cars impounded and crude weapons recovered.

Mr Kaluma was among people who were attacked and injured after supporters of ODM candidate Boyd Were and those of his independent rival Philip Aroko clashed at Agoro Sare Primary School polling station. 

“I know who the attackers are. They are goons hired from Kibra, Mathare and Ruaraka to cause chaos in Kasipul. I am the chairperson of ODM in the county and an observer in the election. There was no reason to attack me,” Mr Kaluma said.

At Agao Primary School, at least 15 ballot papers were destroyed when a group of youths stormed a polling station. 

Read: ODM without Raila: How Kasipul by-election slipped into battle ground

Most stations were opened at 6 am but the constituency recorded low voter turnout. Returning Officer Rebecca Abwaku attributed the low turnout to voter intimidation. 

“Some voters were intimidated by armed groups of youth. This prevented people from voting,” she said.

Violence was also witnessed in Malava constituency and the neighbouring Lugari. Several vehicles, including those belonging to DAP-K candidate Seth Panyako were damaged and his hotel vandalised after goons said to be armed with guns and crude weapons raided the facility on Wednesday night.

In a separate incident, a Toyota Prado vehicle reportedly belonging to the opposition was set ablaze as violence and voter intimidation rocked the by-elections.

The situation was not any different in Nyamira County where by-elections were held in Nyansiongo, Ekerenyo and Nyamaiya wards. Goons armed with pangas, arrows and other crude weapons roamed across polling stations causing panic and attacking voters.

Voter apathy was evident in Ugunja, with polling stations like Ugunja Township Primary School, which has a high number of registered voters, receiving very few of them.

In Machakos, Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua is among leaders who faced the wrath of voters in the Mumbuni North Ward by-election. He was kicked him out of Kasinga Primary School where he had accompanied Maendeleo Chap Chap candidate Harrison Wambua to cast his ballot.

Dr Mutua’s security detail whisked him away as a group that included agents of some of the candidates and voters in the mini-poll shouted at him. The charged mob accused Dr Mutua and his team of attempting to influence voting.

Separately, a mob kicked former Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka out of the same polling station. 

Former Mumbuni North MP Paul Museku was also forced out of Mung’ala Primary School polling station. A contingent of heavily armed police officers intervened as a mob descended on Mr Museku, accusing him of voter bribery. 

In the North Rift, voting went on smoothly even though it was marked by low voter turnout in most polling stations. Many youth voters kept off the exercise.

As at 10 am only 46 out of 625 voters had cast their votes at Tenges Primary School polling station in Baringo Central while at Tandui Primary School, only 12 out of 646 had voted.

Low voter turnout

“Many locals are in their farms harvesting their crops and we believe they will still come and exercise their democratic rights before we close the polling centre at 5pm,” said Presiding Officer Hillary Cheburet.

A low voter turnout was likewise experienced in the by-election in Chemundu/Kapngetuny Ward, Chesumei Constituency, Nandi County.

“Many voters are used to participating in general elections and most of them are unlikely to turn up for the exercise,” said Joshua Kipkemboi, one of the voters.

In Turkana County, voters turned up in large numbers at 13 polling stations for the by-elections in Nanam Ward, Turkana West Constituency. IEBC officials said there were slight hitches with biometric identification, which delayed the voting process.

“There are no major challenges so far but extreme heat was affecting voter identification through the Kiems biometric system. It was expected,” said Mr Noah Bowen, the ward’s returning officer.

In Metkei Ward, Elgeyo-Marakwet County, there was no contest after the UDA candidate, Philip Kipruto, was gazetted by the IEBC on October 29 since he had no challenger.

Mr Reuben Tobosei of UDA was also unopposed for the Tembelio Ward seat and was gazetted after the party nominations stage. 

At the coast, claims of voter bribery and incidents of missing voter details in the IEBC register marred the by-elections in Magarini Constituency, Kilifi County.

At the Kanagoni polling centre, Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga was ejected by a group that accused him of being an unauthorised agent. Supporters of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Stanley Kenga questioned why the MP, an agent for ODM candidate Harrison Kombe, was roaming around the compound.

“We are vigilant, we are happy he has left, we have been following him and he has been doing this in many polling centres,” said Juma Mwaguzo, one of the residents.

Mr Chonga defended himself, saying he has a right to visit any polling centre as an ODM super agent.

Mr Kenga arrived cast his vote at the centre. Although he had earlier expressed satisfaction with how the IEBC was conducting the exercise, in the afternoon, he submitted complaints to the elections officials, claiming there were malpractices. He said that the government was distributing relief food in some areas as voting was taking place, saying this amounted to bribery.

At Mtoroni polling centre, two people were chased away by youth after they were found with bundles of money. Police had to intervene to rescue the two, who later escaped in a vehicle that was parked outside the polling centre.

In an unexpected twist, Mr Kombe claimed that some people within ODM were working against him after his agents were barred from witnessing the voting exercise at Mjanaheri Primary School polling centre.

“I wonder how ODM can place an agent whom I don’t know,” said Mr Kombe.

At the same polling centre, some voters complained that they were turned away by IEBC officials because their details were not found in the Kiems kit. By 9am, about 10 people had not voted because their details were missing. 

In the by-election in Chewani Ward, Tana River County, observers from Amnesty International Kenya raised concern over alleged voter bribery and intimidation.

Speaking in Hola, the organisation’s representative, David Gafo, said their observers had documented incidents where aspirants had stationed their agents at strategic entry points since early morning, offering money to voters.

“We have seen teams positioned in the vicinity and inside some polling stations. This is not only unlawful, but it interferes with the privacy and confidence of voters. We have raised the matter with the Returning Officer and urged him to take immediate action,” he said.

The by-election recorded low voter turnout across its 36 polling stations. By 10.40am, only 449 voters had cast their ballots at Hola Primary School, the largest polling centre with 2,322 registered voters. At Rafiki Primary School, which has 1,021 registered voters, only 178 had turned up to vote by the same time.

County Returning Officer Yonah Ogallo expressed concern over the poor voter participation, noting that most polling stations had recorded less than 30 per cent turnout by mid-morning.

“We are hoping the numbers will improve as the day progresses, but so far the turnout is much lower than anticipated,” Mr Ogallo said.
The Narok Town Ward by-election also experienced low voter turnout.

Read: IEBC officials: We're ready to deliver credible by-elections

Spot checks by the Daily Nation in various polling stations established that voters were trickling into the polling stations, with no long queues witnessed. Some candidates expressed fears that the low voter turnout would affect the outcome.

Following an incident in which armed goons raided the home of DCP candidate Douglas Masikonte on Wednesday night, security was tight in all polling stations across the ward.

In Samburu’s Angata Nanyekie Ward, residents braved the chilly weather to cast their ballots in the hotly contested by-election.

By 6am, long queues had already formed at polling stations as residents sought to fill the seat left vacant following the killing of former Ward Rep Paul Leshimpiro—he was shot dead by suspected bandits in February last year.

“Voting started smoothly and no alarming incidents were reported. The biometric kits could not identify some of the elderly voters as their fingerprints are almost flattened,” said Shaolin Meiguran, Samburu North Constituency Returning Officer.

In Mandera’s Banisa Constituency, IEBC attributed low voter turnout to the current dry spell. Speaking at the Eymole Primary School polling station, IEBC Commissioner Hassan Noor Hassan said most locals have migrated with their livestock into Ethiopia.

“By noon only about 30 per cent of the voters had voted,” he said. “We hope that we shall reach 40 per cent by evening when we close the exercise. This is a by-election, which rarely has turnout beyond 40 per cent.”

The commissioner stated that several stations recorded technical challenges, with the Kiems kits failing, but other means of identification were used. 
Earlier in the day, UDA candidate Ahmed Maalim Hassan failed to be identified by the kit at Dirbor polling centre. 

“I had a challenge with identification but the issue was corrected and I voted. The process was smooth and fast,” Mr Hassan said. 
Voting in the constituency was peaceful.

Reporting by Gitonga Marete, George Munene, Manase Otsialo, Pius Maundu, George Odiwour, Florah Koech, Titus Ominde, Sammy Lutta, Barnabas Bii, Anthony Kitimo, Maureen Ongala, Stephen Oduor , Geoffrey Ondieki, Tobias Meso, Shaban Makokha, Kassim Adinasi, Wycliffe Nyaberi and Ruth Mbula