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A polling station guide at Joseph Kangethe Primary School in Woodley Ward. Station has begun voting to a slow start. [Chris Theuri, Standard]
Kibra residents in Nairobi County are today voting in a showdown pitting the Handshake/Kieleweke team against Deputy President William Ruto's team Tangatanga.
The Handshake team comprises politicians brought together following a unity pact between Raila and President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018.
ODM - a subscriber of the handshake - has fielded Bernard Imran Okoth while Ruto’s Jubilee has ex-football sensation McDonald Mariga.
The two are touted as the front runners based on the spirited campaigns that they have staged in the chase for the votes.
The constituency has five wards – Makina, Laini Saba, Sarang’ombe, Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course and Lindi with 118,658 votes.
Laini Saba 17,455 voters, Lindi 16,688, Makina 25,695, Woodley/ Kenyatta Golf Course 28,066 and Sarang’ombe 30,754.
The by-election has attracted 24 candidates following the death of MP Ken Okoth in July after a protracted battle with cancer.
Polls open
The polling stations across the constituency were opened at 6am to a smooth start of voting. A spot check across the stations shows queues building up.
Goodmorning, Kibra voters are today voting to elect their Member to the National Assembly. Polling stations opened at 6am and voting is ongoing. pic.twitter.com/AqveQvalRI
— IEBC (@IEBCKenya) November 7, 2019
Some 26,788 voters registered in 36 polling stations have been relocated to new voting areas as their registered polling stations are engaged with ongoing examinations.
6:21: MKadara MP George Aladwa (ODM) to KTN News: So far the process has started well, I am happy with the turnout and I congratulate IEBC for being good this time.
6:45 ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna tells KTN News’ Lofty Matambo that they are satisfied with the start of the voting. Adds that party leader Raila Odinga will vote at 10am.
The poll stations are manned by 188 presiding officers and 625 clerks.
7:41 Journalist Ali Manzu notes that Kenya Integrated Election Management System kits (KIEMS) have failed in some polling stations and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission bosses are meeting over the matter.
Standard Digital has confirmed that the kits are not working at Jamhuri Primary School polling station.
Bribery claim
08:00 A commotion ensues at a polling station in Mashimoni Squatters after voter rough up a man they accuse of trying to bribe them. The altercation is broadcast live on Citizen Tv which reports the man has been taken into custody.
There are claims he was dishing Sh200 to each voter.
Commotion arose after claims that an individual attempted to bribe voters. Angry residents wanted to lynch him but the police saved him and is under custody. #DayBreak#KibraVotespic.twitter.com/4v3xWerfRN
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) November 7, 2019
08:50: Monica Okoth, widow of former Kibra MP Ken Okoth casts her vote at the Old Kibera Primary School.
Monica Okoth (centre) at the polling station. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]
10:00 Police arrest Langata CDF committee member James Kipkorir for allegedly engaging in voter bribery at Mashimoni, Kibra Constituency.
Police say he was attacked by a mob and medics performed First Aid on him before he was whisked away to Kilimani Police Station.
Nairobi Area police boss Philip Ndolo says a woman is also being held over similar allegations. She is accused of bribing voters at YCMA polling station.
10:30 IEBC warns Kibra voters against violating the secrecy of the ballot by sharing photos of marked vote papers. It is punishable in law.
10:32 Eliud Owalo casts his ballot at Old Kibra Primary School. He arrived at the station in an entourage led by Amani National Congress (ANC) officials including party boss Musalia Mudavadi.
Eliud Owalo: So far so good, the exercise is very smooth. We don't have any issues. We have had a good campaign. I said this should be about a contest of ideas, not personalities. I am satisfied with the progress so far. We had issues with the voter register. The roll that was issued did not have the ID numbers. We wanted to compare the register with the 2017 roll.
There are claims of massive voter bribery. We have taken note over that and we will gather more evidence. We have also asked IEBC to redeem its dented image. We want a free and fair process. We will accept the outcome so long it would be credible and fair.
Mudavadi:This is a very important day for the people of Kibra and we want IEBC to ensure a free and fair election. There were incidents of intimidation at Shimoni. We want to ask the police, IEBC to work hand in hand with the agents of the candidates. I want to ask employers to allow the locals to go and cast their votes as the outcome will have a great impact on their lives.
11:05 After voting, ODM’s Imran Okoth accuses his opponents of bribing voters. He maintains he is upbeat about winning the race and calls on his supporters to come out in large numbers to vote.
“Some of them (bribers) have already faced the wrath of the people and it will continue. We do not want the decision of the people of Kibra to be subverted.”
Imran Okoth casts his vote. [Moses Nyamori, Standard]
11:25 Deputy President William Ruto commends the large voter turnout, adding that security forces are alert to deal with cases of violence.
“The people of Kibra have turned up in numbers to vote for their MP resisting the violence narrative by our opponents. Peaceful voting is going on in many polling centres and Security officers are on the alert to deal with acts of lawlessness. Change is imminent! Mungu mbele,” he says.
‘Protect bedroom’
11:35 ODM party boss Raila Odinga and his wife Ida and daughter Rosemary vote at Old Kibra Primary. He calls on his party supporters to protect their votes.
“What is not acceptable is an attempt to attempt to try and bribe money…I want to urge those who have not voted to come. We are in our bedroom; I want to urge our people to protect our bedroom against the infiltration by strangers and outsiders,” he said.
You are not welcome, Khalwale told
12: 15
Former Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale is roughed up by rowdy youths at Kibra’s Laini Saba.
In a section of the video of the scuffle, a stone is hurled at the group walking away from the scene amid chants of “Toka! (Leave!)”
12:59 A contingent of police officers is deployed to DC’s ground after rival groups clash over claims of voter bribery.
Police sent to contain supporters of rival camps engaged in running battles. [Moses Nyamori, Standard]
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
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