Khalwale battles against two new comers in Ikolomani

By Roselyne Obala and Joel Okwayo

The voting exercise in Ikolomani constituency parliamentary by-election in Kakmega County kicked off in earnest Monday morning.

Voters trickled in at the various polling stations before 6am to elect the next MP.

The three candidates Bonny Khalwale (New Ford Kenya), Collins Matemba (Ford People) and Bernard Shinali (ODM) also arrived at their polling stations early.

Mr Shinali voted at Lirembe polling station at 6.30am; Dr Khalwale cast his vote at 7am at Malinya and Dr Matemba voted at 9am at Ivonda.

All the three were in high spirits, all expressing optimism to emerge victorious at the end of the exercise.

Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) said voting kicked off on time in all the 63 polling stations.

The Commission’s Returning Officer Benjamin Tarus said election materials were delivered in the polling stations on time.

"There were no delays in voting centres. The exercise kicked off promptly," said Tarus who was speaking at Makhokho secondary school, which has been set as the tallying Centre.

The election which has drawn attention of various political and development partners is being witnessed with 360 observers sourced from local and international organisations.

ODM has alleged unsubstantiated voter bribery practices naming polling centres such as Shikumu, Eregi, Shikunga and Shibuname as places where bribing of voters took place.