Voting begins in Kamukunji amid claims of bribery

BY VITALIS KIMUTAI

Voting in Kamukunji by election started on Thursday morning amid numerous claims of voter bribery and intimidation.

Two people were arrested for alleged voter bribery at Eastleigh High School polling station.

There was also confusion at the same polling station after ODM candidate Ibrahim Ahmed alias Johnny and Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) commissioner Davis Chirchir differed over documents to use to identify voters.

Johnny wanted voters who registered with national Identity Cards to be allowed to vote using their passport but Chirchir insisted they use the documents they registered with.

IIEC officials receive voting materials for the Kamukunji by-election

The Commissioner said it would be illegal to allow the voters to use different documents than the one they registered with.

Voting started well in other stations without hitches with PNU candidate Yusuf Hassan casting his ballot at St Teresa primary school AT 8.20 am.

Johnny cast his vote a few minutes after 10 am.

Kamukunji has 128,526 voters who are expected to cast votes to elect their MP after more than six months of waiting.

It is a high stakes political contest between Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, as voters go into another city by-election.

Pollsters cite the two as the main contenders for the presidential race next year.

Joseph Masindet, the returning officer, said 916 officials, including the presiding officer, his deputy, and clerks had been deployed for the by-election in 23 polling stations.