Voting was briefly disrupted at Mumias Township Primary School on Monday after a group of youths protested the presence of former Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa. The former CS, who is the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chief agent in the region, had just driven into the polling station to observe voting aactivity.
His presence at the polling station in Kakamega, where residents are picking a governor to succeed Wycliffe Oparanya, immediately triggered a commotion as youths believed to be Azimio supporters demanded that Mr Echesa leave. They accused the politician of planning to bribe voters.
Police officers present intervened and managed to restore calm.
Police officers intervene following protests that erupted at Mumias Township Primary School polling station in Kakamega County. A section of voters accused former Sports CS Rashid Echesa of attempted bribery.
Mr Echesa drove away after police officers approached the former CS and held a brief discussion with him.
Pockets of violence
In Mumias West, Matungu and Mumias East, rival supporters of Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition and those of Kenya Kwanza clashed in violent confrontations at polling stations.
Rival supporters accused each other of engaging in voter bribery.
Mumias Central MCA-elect Ali Okomba was attacked at St Peter’s Primary School by youths who accused him of bribing voters headed to the polling station.
Police officers rushed to the scene and managed to rescue Mr Okomba, who was badly injured, and took him to St Mary’s Hospital for treatment.
At Nyapora polling station, a man identified as Mr Ali Otini was attacked by youths who tore off his clothes while accusing him of voter bribery.
A former MCA, MrCharles Odanga, intervened and rushed the injured man to hospital.
“I had just voted at Nyapora Primary School polling station and was heading home when a group of 30 youths approached me, claiming they had information that I was dishing out money to voters,” said Mr Otini.
He said the youths started beating him up.
Mumias West Sub-County Police commander, Mr Stephen Muoni, said several similar incidents of violence were reported in the constituency on voting day.
“At Mumias Muslim Primary School, a vehicle drove to the polling but the voters on the queues got suspicious and asked the driver to leave. The driver left at high speed, hitting part of the school gate and damaging it,” said Mr Muoni.
ODM Gubernatorial candidate in Kakamega County, Mr Fernandes Barasa, casts his ballot at Bulimbo Primary School in Matungu, Kakamega County, on August 29, 2022. He complained of low voter turnout and also accused of his opponents of voter bribery.
IEBC officials identify a voter using a Kiems kit at Shongen Primary School in Kacheliba Constituency, West Pokot County, on August 29, 2022.
He accused supporters of the poll’s leading candidates, former Ketraco boss Fernandes Barasa (ODM) and outgoing Senator Cleophas Malala (ANC), of sparking the violent confrontations.
“Rival supporters were moving from one end of the constituency to another and attacking each other. Police officers managed to secure the polling stations and no violence was witnessed within the polling centres,” said the police boss. BY DAILY NATION