Keen sense of urgency at Bomas as Kenyans await election 'white smoke'

At the Bomas of Kenya, the national election tallying centre in Nairobi, there was a sense of urgency Thursday, August 11, 2022, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission pulling all stops to verify results.

After two days of relative calm, the venue roared to life as presidential agents trooped in their numbers.

In the early days mostly media and IEBC staff, members of different observer groups and political party agents were present at Bomas. The journey to Form 34C, the document IEBC will produce to declare the winner of the race, however, kicked into high gear yesterday.

Azimio presidential agents Caroline Karugu and lawyer Paul Mwangi as well as those from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Josphat Nanok and Secretary General Veronicah Maina have been camping at Bomas since Tuesday to make check the presidential tallying exercise.

Inside a ring on the floor of the auditorium, the party agents and members of the campaign, some still processing defeats in their own elections, hovered from one table to the next confirming that indeed the results presented to the IEBC matched their own.

Whenever a Constituency Returning Officer walked into the room - only about three had arrived at Bomas by 4pm - Ms Karugu would gesture to her colleagues in Azimio who were keeping tally.

Three, she signalled with her fingers.

But with the media tallies indicating a narrowing gap between Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio flag bearer Raila Odinga, more leaders Thursday made their way to Bomas.

They included Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, nominated MP Wilson Sossion, former Kenyan ambassador to Pakistan Julius Bitok and DP Ruto's head of international relations Ababu Namwamba.

Caroline Karugu (right), Kajiado Central MP Elijah Memusi and other Azimio-allied leaders at the Bomas of Kenya. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Law enforcement has erected a roadblock on the road leading into Karen.

Inside the venue, there's extra vigilance by special forces. You can't move 100m without bumping into a law enforcement officer who can summon you and demand to verify your credentials.

Meanwhile, IEBC has warned candidates in areas where elections were suspended against engaging in campaigns.

On Monday, the electoral agency partially halted the voting exercise in Mombasa and Kakamega counties for the governor seats over the ballot paper mix-up.

Elections for MPs in Pokot South and Kacheliba constituencies were also suspended. The suspensions were occasioned by errors on the ballot papers such as wrong images and details.

"We have not opened up the campaign period and so the suspension still applies. We will do the elections immediately after we conclude this," said IEBC commissioner Abdi Guliye.

Chebukati also urged the public to only rely on results announced by the commission and ignore misinformation on social media.