Of election day and labour pains

At Konyau Mixed Secondary School polling station in Kapchok Ward, West Pokot County on Tuesday, a woman gave birth after queuing for more than three hours. The mother gave birth safely at the polling centre before casting her vote to a baby girl and named her ‘Hellen Chepkura’ meaning elections.

“She gave birth while she was queuing. Immediately she was rushed to a health cente where she and her baby were confirmed to be in a healthy condition. She was later released to go home, but insisted on being taken back to the polling centre to cast her vote,” said an eyewitness, Ngolemwai Rooney. In another incident at Kuwit polling centre a woman aged 33 lost her unborn baby after after standing in the queue for several hours.

“After the mother cast her vote she went to the health facility where her unborn child was declared dead,” said member of county Assembly, Kapchok Ward Peter Lokor. In the first incident said the woman experienced labour pains on the queue but declined to be rushed to Konyau dispensary and insisted she must vote first before being taken to the hospital.