THE STANDARD By
Brian Kisanji |
March 4th 2021 at 08:44:31 GMT +0300
An elderly woman casts her vote at Matungu Constituency. [Dennish Ochieng, Standard]
Voting in the Matungu parliamentary by-election kicked off smoothly this morning amidst low voter turnout.
Voters who turned out early morning said the exercise was smooth, applauding the punctuality of the entire process.
Strict health guidelines were also adhered to as no one was allowed in without a mask.
Some of the voters, however, faced some challenges during the identification process as their fingerprints could not be detected by the Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS).
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There are 15 candidates in the race seeking to replace the late Justus Murunga who died in 2020.
Currently, the constituency has at least 62,386 registered voters who are expected to cast their ballots on March 4.
The constituency has five wards namely Namamali, Koyonzo, Mayoni, Kholera and Khalaba with a total of 116 polling stations will be used in all five wards.
Dr Joseph Amukoya became the first MP for Matungu after he won the 1997 parliamentary elections on a Kanu ticket.
But in 2002, Dr Amukoya lost to David Were who rode in National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) wave.
Were successfully defended the seat in 2007 and 2013 on two different party tickets.
He vied on the ODM ticket in 2007 and managed to secure the seat in 2013 as a Ford Kenya candidate.
THE STANDARD
ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi campaigns for Oscar Nabulindo at Bulimbo in Matungu constituency. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]
Major political parties have unleashed their top guns in Matungu and Kabuchai constituencies as campaigns for the by-elections enter the homestretch.
Top party officials and MPs from Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), Ford Kenya, Amani National Congress (ANC) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) have pitched tent in the two constituencies to drum up support for their candidates ahead of the Thursday polls.
Matungu and Kabuchai seats fell vacant following the deaths of MPs Justus Murunga in November and James Mukwe Lusweti in December.
IEBC official: No votes will be stolen in Matungu by-election standardmedia.co.ke - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from standardmedia.co.ke Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.