Low turnout as bribery claims reported during Kandara election

Low turnout and allegations of voter bribery marked yesterday's Kandara constituency by-election.

In all the 197 polling centres, there was low turnout with the elderly turning up to cast their votes as the youth stayed away.

There are 105,148 registered voters in the constituency with six electoral wards.

At Ng'araria polling centre, less than 500 voters had turned up to cast their ballot by noon. The centre has more than 3,000 registered voters.

Candidates Titus Mbuchu of Ford Asili cast his vote at Muigariua while Chege Njuguna (UDA) and Kibiru PMG Junior voted at Kandara Children's Rescue Centre.

UDA Secretary General Veronica Maina supervised the vote, appealing to residents to come out and exercise their right to vote.

Water and Irrigation CS Alice Wahome voted at Kamuru Primary School where she called on the electorate to come out and vote.

Finance CS Njuguna Ndungu also cast his vote.

"The voting in Kandara is running smoothly but we are pleading with voters not to shy away but cast their votes before 5pm," said Maina.

Chege said he was confident of winning.

"I am asking Kandara people to come out and not wait until the last minute," he said.