PNU’s Hassan wins in Kamukunji by-election

By Athman Amran and Vitalis Kimutai

Party of National Unity (PNU) retained the Kamukunji constituency seat after its candidate Yusuf Hassan won the by-election.  ODM’s Ibrahim Mohammed alias Johnny (ODM) followed, with Narc-Kenya’s Brian Weke coming third.

PNU candidate Abdi Yusuf Hassan casts his ballot at Eastleigh Secondary School, Nairobi. He garnered 19,030 votes to win the hotly contested Kamukunji by-election on Thursday. [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA /STANDARD]

Hassan garnered 19,030  votes in 23 polling stations followed by Mohammed with 15,517, and Weke 4,064 after the provisional results were released at the Shauri Moyo tallying centre at 8pm. Agano Party’s David Mwaure scored 359, Geofrey Mutuku (Tip Tip) 304, Muthoni Kihara of GNU, 235, Omao Daniel Onderi (Ford-People) 206, James Matagaro (Kenya Social Congress) 37 votes.

The total votes cast in the low turnout by-election was 39,579 representing 30.7 per cent of registered voters.

Earlier, Police arrested voters who had registered more than once, as candidates complained of alleged voter bribery in the Kamukunji by-elections.

Security was tight at the 142 polling stations in an election that had been billed as a contest between the Party of National Unity’s (PNU) Yusuf Hassan and ODM’s Ahmed Ibrahim.

Narc-Kenya’s Brian Weke was also seen as a possible threat, and could upset the hopes of the two main contenders.

All three moved around with their supporters beaming with confidence.

Ibrahim, Starehe MP, Margaret Wanjiru, and Westlands MP Fred Gumo moved across polling stations monitoring progress of voting, as both camps angled for a win.

“I know that Kamukunji people have decided. I have great expectations,” Hassan said.

“I will accept a win or a defeat.  But I am sure I will win,” Ibrahim on his part, said.

There was, however, a marked low turnout and the exercise was marred by the arrest of 30 voters for alleged double registration.

There were also brief skirmishes between supporters believed to be from the camps of Hassan and Ibrahim at the Eastleigh High School polling station, when some agents of a candidate were arrested for allegedly bribing voters.

Two people were immediately arrested while those alleged to have voted twice were arrested from polling stations.

Almost all the candidates, however, complained of vote-buying.

Bribing voters

At the Morris Primary School polling station, Weke displayed a bundle of Sh50 notes, which he claimed he seized from an agent of a rival candidate, who was allegedly bribing voters.

“I took the money from some youths who were distributing it. We now have to do the work of the police to ensure there is no rigging,” Weke said.

At one point there was fear of a clash when Ibrahim and his supporters stormed the Eastleigh High School polling station, where Hassan had just voted.

Ibrahim, however, turned his anger on the Interim Independent Electoral Commission, commissioner Davis Chirchir. He accused the commission of colluding with some candidates to rig.

Ibrahim complained that some of his supporters were barred from voting after producing passports, instead of identity cards.

He claimed that because the voters had lost their identity cards they could use their passports.

 “You have to vote with what you have registered with,” Mr Chirchir explained.

 He said those turned away had registered as voters with their national identity cards.

Ibrahim, who was not convinced, stormed out of the polling station, fuming as armed police officers watched from a distance.

Returning Officer Joseph Masindet, however, said none of the candidates had made a written submission, or had given evidence of voter bribery.

“I have asked them to give me some evidence, but they have not done so,” Masindet said, at the Shauri Moyo tallying station.

He, however, said incidents of double voting were higher at the Eastleigh polling station.

Drama

There was also drama at the Shauri Moyo tallying centre when Makadara MP Gideon Mbuvi stormed the Shauri Moyo Social Hall, in a convoy of 20 motorcycles.

Police failed to stop the motorcade from entering the compound, with the MP riding on one of the bikes.

His supporters blocked the road as the riders made their way into the hall, where Mbuvi remained briefly before walking out with another group of chanting youth.

Police were later deployed to clear the way as Wanjiru (ODM) and Ferdinand Waititu (PNU) also entered the counting hall.

Hassan and Ibrahim, however, expressed confidence they would win. So did Weke, Agano Party’s David Waihiga Mwaura, and GNU’s Catherine Muthoni Kihara.

Yusuf cast his vote at the Eastleigh polling station at 8.30am, Ibrahim at St Teresa Primary School at 10am, while Waihiga was at Our Lady of Mercy at 9am.

Weke voted at Dr Livingstone School at 10am, while Muthoni cast her vote at Morris Primary School.

During the campaigns Hassan has had the support of Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta. Prime Minister Raila Odinga supported Ibrahim, while Gichugu MP Martha Karua supported Weke.