Voting opens in 8 electoral areas postponed on August 9
Voting has Monday morning opened in eight electoral areas, including the Mombasa and Kakamega governor races, in key elections that are acid tests for President-elect William Ruto and Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition leader Raila Odinga.
The elections were postponed on August 9—the date of the General Election—after what the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said was ballot papers mix-up, and were again pushed forward on August 23 after the commission cited intimidation and harassment of its staff.
The polls being held today are Mombasa and Kakamega governor elections as well as MP races in Kacheliba (West Pokot County), Pokot South (West Pokot County), Rongai (Nakuru County), and Kitui Rural (Kitui County).
Also going to the polls today are voters in Nyaki West (North Imenti Constituency (Meru County), and Kwa Njenga (Embakasi South Constituency, Nairobi County) to elect their members of the county assembly.
While for the IEBC the test will be on their systems and logistics, for Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga, the polls will be a make-or-break moment to shore up their numbers in the National Assembly as well as establish dominance in the Council of Governors.