In hope or despair Kenyans must exercise the right to vote, always

A visually impaired man (left) arrives to vote in the compnay of a steward at Orowal polling station in Kacheliba, West Pokot. [Christopher Kipsang, Standard]

The common thread from the postponed elections held on Monday in many parts across the country is the depressed turnout. Ordinarily, it was expected that coming soon after the end of a hotly contested election on August 9, the turnout would be low, but not so low.

Though there were reported cases of logistical hiccups and pockets of chaos and violence, these couldn't deter the resolve of the people to pick their leaders through the vote. Granted, at 64 per cent (14 million of the 22 million registered voters, the turnout was one of the lowest in the history of our democracy. Far lower turnout would be expected in the postponed elections as always happen even in by-elections.