Ikolomani candidates bribing voters be warned

Thursday, 19 May 2011 00:07 BY HILTON OTENYO

MASSIVE voter bribery by candidates has characterised the Ikolomani by-election campaigns. Candidates have been ordering voters to queue up after rallies to give them money which amounts to voter bribery, an electoral offence.
 Kakamega South police commander Abdi Galgalo yesterday and warned candidates they risked facing the law “There are cases of open bribery and supporters of one of the candidates once roughed up a police officer when he attempted to take photographs on his cell phone as he dished out money to voters at a campaign rally," said Galgalo.
 But international and local monitors said the bribery took place in full view of police officers whom they suspect are also bribed to give a blind eye on the activities. He said some candidates bribed voters at night in their homes saying that such acts contravened the electoral laws. “We are warning the candidates against campaigning at night because it was both a security risk as well as an electoral offence. Campaigns must end by 6.00pm,” the police chief said.
He said that security operations had been intensified in the constituency by deploying more police officers to monitor the bribery and night campaigns. IIEC officials have aid they have not received information about voter bribery from either the police or its field staff who are monitoring the exercise.
ODM candidate Bernard Shinali claimed yesterday that his rivals were buying voters’ cards in areas they perceived hostile to them. “They have panicked and realized that even bribery cannot work and they now want to destroy the cards in areas they think they cannot be supported, the law must take its course,” said Shinali.