Low turnout in Mombasa as Nassir, Omar jostle for top seat

Mombasa gubernatorial candidates Hassan Omar and Abdulswamad Nassir. [File, Standard]

Low voter turnout marked the Mombasa gubernatorial postponed election which started on time Monday, August 29, with ODM candidate Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir urging the electorate to come out and vote.

Speaking after casting his vote at the Mvita Primary School, Nassir said that events of the August 9 general election where voters were disappointed after a mix-up of ballot papers led to the postponement of the governor race.

"We are seeing a very slow start. Our supporters were disenfranchised but we are appealing to them to come out and practise their democratic rights to vote,'' Nassir who was flanked by former Murang'a county women representative, Sabina Chege and Mvita MP-elect Mohamed Machele, said.

Nassir said that since voting started on time, there will be no voter extension.

''Please come out and vote,'' said Nassir.

Outgoing Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho, who also voted at Mvita Primary School polling station, decried the low voter turnout and urged the electorate to come out and vote.

Sabina Chege told women who form the bulk of voters in Mombasa to come out to vote first before resuming their house chores.

''Since voting got underway on time, it will also end on time with no extension. I am urging female voters to quickly come to the various polling stations to vote,'' said Chege.

Haki Africa, a civil society group accredited to monitor the elections in Mombasa county through its Deputy Director, Salma Ahmed said that the low voter turnout could be attributed to the postponement of the exercise on August 9 and 23.

''Voters have generally lost confidence in the whole process after they failed to elect their preferred governor. The bungled presidential election results being contested in the Supreme Court has also led to a lack of interest among the electorate here,'' said Salma.

On election preparedness, the Haki Africa official commended the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for a well-planned exercise.

''We have seen polling stations opening on time and IEBC personnel doing their best to ensure a seamless exercise,'' said Salma.

Babu Owino (left), Abdulswamad Nassir and Sabina Chege at Kafoka in Mombasa County on August 26, 2022. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Hassan Boflo, a resident of Mvita, who was among the first people to cast their ballot at the Mvita Primary School, said that he was taken through the whole process before casting his vote in a record three minutes.

''I know who my favourite candidate for the governor seat is. I wasted no time when I entered the polling booth and I am hoping for the best,'' said Boflo.

At Khadija Primary and Secondary Schools polling stations in Nyali constituency, the story on low voter turnout was the same.

A voter, Francis Waweru, said that having an election on a Monday has proved to be a bit tricky.

''Despite the government having declared Monday a public holiday to allow voters to vote, it has still not sunk in well with the majority who have chosen to stay away. We hope as the day progresses, we shall have the numbers trickling in,'' said Waweru.

At Uhuru Gardens polling centre which is in Mombasa central business district, Mvita constituency, out of the 1,591 registered voters, only 279 voters had cast their votes by 11:15am representing 17.5 per cent of registered voters.

Low voter turnout was also witnessed at Mwembelegeza Primary School in Kisauni constituency.

Outgoing Mombasa deputy governor Dr William Kingi said he will be casting his vote in the afternoon.

Dr Kingi said most of his agents had been locked out of the polling stations after they presented confirmation letters that were issued for the August 9 polls before the gubernatorial election was postponed.

He said the postponement had disadvantaged smaller parties and independent candidates who had to incur more financial costs.

[ Additional reporting by Patrick Amimo]