Voters in Ol Kalou continued to cast their ballots on Thursday as the constituency held a by-election to elect a new Member of Parliament, with candidates expressing confidence while also raising concerns about the conduct of the poll.
United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate Samuel Muchina Nyaga spoke shortly after voting and claimed that there had been incidents that required attention from electoral and security authorities.
He alleged that one of his campaign vehicles was attacked and set on fire while transporting party agents on the eve of the election.
“I have not had an incident except yesterday, when one of my vehicles transporting my agents in Mugumo was burnt by goons, but the situation was later controlled,” he said.
Muchina said the incident was brought under control and did not significantly affect his participation in the election.
However, he also raised concerns about alleged voter bribery in some polling stations as voting got underway on Thursday morning.
According to the UDA candidate, reports from his supporters indicated that some individuals were allegedly giving out money to voters.
He called on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to investigate the claims and take appropriate action if any wrongdoing is established.
“This morning I heard that some individuals were giving out money inside the polling stations. I am calling on the IEBC to investigate the issue because I have heard from my people that there were some people in some of the polling stations who were trying to bribe voters,” he said.
Muchina noted that he had not yet filed a formal complaint with the relevant authorities but stated that he intended to do so.
He expressed confidence that the institutions responsible for overseeing elections would handle the matter fairly.
“I believe the IEBC will take action on those people so that we can have free and fair elections,” he said.”I have come from home and have not yet reported, but because I am a law-abiding citizen, I will go and report to the agencies for investigations to take place.”
Despite the allegations, Muchina praised the overall security arrangements and described the voting exercise as peaceful. He said the turnout witnessed across polling stations was encouraging and reflected the interest of residents in choosing their next representative.
“I feel the process is good because people have turned up in good numbers. We have had three months to campaign, and we have done our best, and we encourage everyone to come out in large numbers to vote for their next MP who will serve for one year,” said Muchina.Confident about his chances, he added: “I am ready for the outcome because I know I will win. The people of Ol Kalou will speak through the ballot.
“The by-election is taking place across 144 polling stations, with 73,480 registered voters expected to participate. The seat fell vacant following the death of former MP David Njuguna Kiaraho in March.
Other candidates in the race also scheduled their voting activities during the morning.
Democracy for Citizens Party candidate Sammy Douglas Kamau Waweru was expected to vote at AC Primary School in Ol Kalou, while Jubilee Party candidate Wilson Kigwa was set to cast his ballot at Kandutura Primary School.
People’s Renaissance Movement candidate Timothy Kariuki was also expected to vote at Kieni Secondary School as residents continued to determine who will represent them in Parliament for the remainder of the term.
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