Low voter turnout marks UDA grassroots elections in Isiolo

An electoral official at a polling station in Isiolo on April 23, 2026. [Bruno Mutunga, Standard]

Low voter turnout marked the ongoing United Democratic Alliance (UDA) grassroots elections in Isiolo County, raising questions about the party’s mobilisation efforts.

The exercise, which features twenty elective positions, recorded minimal participation across several polling centres in Isiolo town. By midday, most stations remained largely deserted, with election officials idling as they awaited voters.

At Waso Primary School, only 64 voters out of an expected 4,850  had cast their ballots by noon.

Other polling centres posted even lower figures. Bulapesa recorded 44 voters by 3 pm., while Wabera and Isiolo Boys polling stations each registered seven voters. Isiolo Stadium had not recorded a single voter by midday.

“At Isiolo Boys, we opened the station at 8 am, but by the afternoon, only seven people had turned up to vote,” said returning officer Titus Karin’guri. “The turnout is far below what we anticipated.”

Aspirants and locals have attributed the low turnout to poor planning and weak mobilisation by the party. Marystella Nkui Mugambi, an aspirant seeking to represent farmers, expressed frustration over the low voter turnout.

“These elections were highly anticipated, but the turnout is disappointing,” she said. “There was not enough mobilisation, and many voters were simply unaware of the exercise. We are hoping more people will show up before the polls close, but the situation so far is discouraging.”

Glagalo Halakhe echoed Mugambi’s sentiments saying that inadequate mobilisation was to blame for the low turnout.

“I only received information about the elections yesterday evening. By then, many people had already made plans for today. It is unrealistic to expect a high turnout under such circumstances,” he said.

Hellen Makena said the short notice about the grassroots polls undermined candidates’ ability to rally their supporters.

“The notification came too late for effective mobilisation. On top of that, aspirants were not given any facilitation to help reach out to voters, which made the situation even more difficult,” she said.

The low turnout has sparked debate about UDA’s grassroots base in Isiolo, a region where the party has previously sought to project dominance. Political observers say the outcome of the exercise could have implications for future party activities and overall influence in the county.

As voting continues, attention now shifts to whether turnout will improve before the close of the exercise.