Maweni ward returning officer Emmanuel Karisa explains to voters the process at Sir Ali Primary School in Malindi. PHOTO / ROBERT NYAGAH
By MWAKERA MWAJEFA mwajefa@ke.nationmedia.com and ANTHONY KITIMO akitimo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Thursday, November 24 2011 at 22:00
Posted Thursday, November 24 2011 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
- Voters scampered for safety before a heavy security team was sent to monitor situation
A petrol bomb was on Thursday hurled at a crowd waiting to vote in Timbwani, Likoni, during the first day of ODM grassroots elections.
The bomb, however, failed to explode. During the incident, the crowd scampered for safety before a heavy security team was sent to monitor the situation.
On the eve of the elections, leaflets that urged people not to vote had been distributed in Likoni, Kisauni and Changamwe suburbs.
In a telephone interview, Likoni district commissioner Lawrence Kinyua said they were pursuing those behind the incident.
Investigating the matter
“We are aware of the leaflets and security personnel are investigating the matter,” he said, adding that the culprits would be arrested soon.
The leaflets read: “Pwani hakupigwi kura zo zote” (There will be no voting of any kind in the Coast region).
According to the DC, security forces also dispersed rowdy people who had gathered at the Mtongwe polling station to disrupt voting.
“The police moved in quickly and repulsed the detractors before any ugly incident occurred,” he said.
At Bomani polling station, there was a standoff between two warring groups, with one demanding a queuing system and the other calling for a secret ballot. After the intervention of the security team, it was agreed the secret ballot be used for voting.
An ODM supporter who declined to give his name criticised the way the party elections had been conducted, saying they were a sham and meant to favour certain individuals within the top hierarchy. (READ:Big guns brace for battle in ODM polls)
“If we are going to call these elections democratic, then we do not know what we are talking about?” the supporter said.
The elections started after midday in different areas of Coast Province with the party bowing down to the pressure by delegates to use the secret ballot mode of election.
At the same time, some parts of the Coast region did not conduct the elections after party officials failed turn up at designated polling stations.
Mr Kenneth Rimba said they waited in vain for election officials at Chumani Primary School in Bahari constituency, Kilifi County.
“We don’t know what’s happening because we have been here since morning and now it is midday and nobody has voted,” he said.
A women’s representative, Ms Sharllet Kazungu, expressed fears there was a scheme to rig the grassroots polls in favour of the sitting leadership in the constituency.
Dismissed allegations
She complained that the organising secretary who was coordinating the polls was an interested party and could not oversee free and fair elections.
“How can you be gunning for the constituency chairperson seat and still conduct party polls?” she asked and called on the national election board to investigate the matter.
Contacted, the organising secretary, Mr Joseph Katoi Chilumo, dismissed the allegations, saying he was only ensuring the polls were conducted as scheduled.
“We have problems with logistics so this is forcing the officials to walk and carry voting materials on their heads to different polling stations,” he said.
The election officials and party supporters should be patient, he added.
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