Voters decide in Bungoma Senate by-election

By Standard Team

BUNGOMA, KENYA: Voting in Bungoma county senate by-election began 6 am Thursday with voters braving the early morning cold to elect their preferred choice.

Various sources indicate a mixture in voter turn-out with some stations recording low turn-out.

CORD candidate Moses Wetangula arrived  in style in a convoy of Members of Parliament and senators at 930 am to cast his vote at Namakhele station.

His key rival Musikari Kombo is expected to  vote at Matulo polling stations.

An estimated 500,000 voters are expected to cast their votes at 941 polling stations in the nine constituencies that make up Bungoma County, after a month of campaigns by aspirants, to pick their senator. n

Earlier in the day Majimbo Kalassinger was arrested for voter bribery claims at Chwele in Kabuchai Constituency.  Standard reporter Roselyn Obala says angry voters also stoned vehicle of a nother suspect in vote buying claims at Namuela ward in Sirisia Constituency. “He was attacked by residents giving out money. Kalassinger according to IEBC officials is being detained at at an AP camp,” she says.

On Wednesday, there was suspicion and speculations among leaders supporting immediate former Bungoma Senator Mr Wetang’ula, vying to recapture the seat and Amani coalition candidate Mr Kombo, with both sides expressing fears that elections might not be free and fair.

Members of Parliament (MPs) allied to CORD hit out at their Amani counterparts, alleging that an elaborate plot had been hatched by the Jubilee government, with the aid of the IEBC to deny Wetang’ula his outright victory.

Amani leaders responded by telling the CORD leaders to desist from throwing aspersions to Jubilee administration and instead answer to their statement about ‘Operation Nunua Kura’.

CORD MPs led by Tongaren legislator Simiyu Esseli identified Mt Elgon and Webuye East constituencies, as the areas the planned electoral malpractices would take place.

“These two areas, marked ballot papers will be staffed in the ballot boxes,” he said, warning that the people of Bungoma, Ford Kenya and CORD would not sit down and watch the dirty plot executed.

“We are reliably informed that our opponents are planning to carry out massive voter bribery on the venue of the elections, with the police protection aimed at hoodwinking the electorate with money,” he said.

In a quick rejoinder, Amani coalition wasted no time to lash out at their opponent, dismissing the claims and instead, faulted CORD for planning to bribe voters and cause mayhem.

“If there are any plans to rig the elections then, it is them who will do it. They did it in March 2013 polls and they plan to do it again. I am even informed they are still on the campaign trail while you can see for yourself, we are not campaigning,” Kombo said soon after a meeting with IEBC’s Ben Misati, the Bungoma County returning officer. Kombo accompanied with New Ford Kenya leader Eugene Wamalwa instead blamed CORD for planning chaos and propaganda with an aim of confusing voters.

“We have emphasised now and before that we are for a peaceful elections and we also want cases of voters’ bribery probed,” said Mr Wamalwa. At a press conference later in the day, Bungoma UDF Chairman John Chikati termed the allegations as serious.

“Operation Nunua Kura statement was read in public at Posta grounds during our last rally on Tuesday by former Kwanza MP Noah Wekesa on behalf of the coalition, and this shows we have nothing to hide,” Mr Chikati said. Flanked by various Amani leaders, he scoffed at the CORD leaders arguing that the reaction caries no substance.