Voting in Fafi, Ijara constituencies delayed for 48 hours after heavy downpour made roads impassable

Commissioner Amb. Dr. Paul Kibiwott Kurgat (left) IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati (centre) and Commissioner Consolata Nkatha (right) consulting each other at the National Tallying Centre Bomas on 28th October 2017. Wilberforce Okwiri

Voting in some polling stations in Fafi and Ijara Constituencies in Garissa County delayed for 48 hours after heavy downpour made roads impassable.

Heavy rains hit the regions on Thursday and continued until Friday hampering transportation of election materials.

The materials were delivered Saturday morning after voting in other parts of the country were concluded.

Fafi has 61 polling stations and by Friday afternoon, only 20 polling stations had opened.

In some polling stations bordering Lamu County, voting had not taken place due to insecurity.

Local Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials told the Sunday Standard said they could not open the polling stations as they feared for their lives.

Fafi Constituency borders the vast Bony forest where Al-Shabaab had for the past carried out several attacks.

In Ijara Constituency, delivery of ballot boxes was hampered by torrential rains that rendered roads impassable until Friday evening when some ballot boxes were delivered.

In Dadaab constituency where voting was successful, low turn characterised the process. Dadaab has 25,762 registered voters but only 1,992 turned up for the exercise. President Uhuru garnered 1,877 votes while NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga managed 55 votes.