Nairobi News

News

IEBC releases revised voter register for Kibra ahead of by-election


All is set for the November 7 Kibra by-election with the electoral commission announcing the completion of the revision of the Register of Voters to take part in the mini poll.

This comes with only a week remaining to the end of the campaign period scheduled to end on Tuesday, November 5.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati said that the total number of voters expected to cast their ballots is 118,658.

The majority of them are in Sarang’ombe Ward which leads with 30, 754 voters followed by Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course Ward with 28, 066 voters; Makina 25, 695 voters; Laini Saba Ward at 17, 455 and lastly Lindi Ward with 16, 688 voters.

“In exercise of powers conferred by …….the IEBC gives notice to the general public that the revision of the register of voters following the verification of voters exercise has been completed for purposes of the by-election for Kibra Constituency scheduled to be held on November 7, 2019,” said Mr Chebukati.

With the number of voters officially known, the stage is now set for the different candidates in the race to woo more voters to their side.

Lang’ata MP Nixon Korir, who has been leading the Jubilee Party campaigns for their candidate McDonald Mariga, said the focus now switches to door-to-door campaigns as they prepare for the last rally on Sunday at DC grounds in Kibra.

“We expect all our party leaders to be around unless their schedules do not allow but in the meantime, we are continuing with our campaigns meeting the people of Kibra doing door-to-door campaigns,” said Mr Korir.

The first time lawmaker exuded confidence that their candidate is going to win, saying that their main rival, ODM, has no clear agenda for the Kibra residents.

He accused the Raila Odinga-led party of being violent saying that during the weekend the party ensured ANC’s Eliud Owalo did not hold his rally at Kamukunji grounds as well as disrupting Ford Kenya’s Khamisi Butichi’s rally at Bukhungu grounds.

“It proves they do not have any agenda for Kibra residents and it is shocking that Raila is asking the residents to consider a vote for Imran as a vote for him. Who is vying, him or Imran? If he did not change Kibra in 25 years he was the MP what new will he do now? We are going for a clear win,” he said.

On the other hand, ODM party said it will also be holding campaigns where they intend to meet different communities and also reach out to women before a last rally on Sunday at Joseph Kang’ethe grounds in Woodley.

At the same time, the party maintained that together with its supporters will march to Anniversary Towers on Tuesday to compel the electoral agency to provide a list of presiding officers and clerks set to oversee the by-election.

“We have given them up to 5pm to communicate the same through their returning officer in Kibra failure to which the march is on,” said Makadara MP George Aladwa, who doubles as ODM Nairobi Branch chairman.

He, however, refuted claims of being behind the Sunday’s chaos saying they are also investigating what might have caused the clash.

“We had agreed that we will be at Bukhungu grounds until noon before Ford Kenya could take over at 2pm but this was not honoured. So we don’t know if somebody had a hidden agenda in what transpired over the weekend,” he said.

But Mr Butichi said they have launched complaints with both IEBC and the police to take action on ODM accusing the party leaders of disrupting his rally.

“I have engaged my team who went to IEBC offices and police to launch our complaints. We had authorization to hold a rally at Bukhungu grounds before ODM leaders stormed in causing the chaos. It is now up to the IEBC to make a decision on what next,” said Mr Butichi, adding that he will still continue with door-to-door campaigns which will end in a rally on Sunday at Lindi grounds.