Ol Kalou by-election: Slow biometric verification causes long queues at polling stations

Jukwaa

📻 Breaking It Down

Some voters said they had arrived at polling centres as early as 6am but remained in queues for prolonged periods as election officials struggled to process voters through the biometric identification system.

“We arrived here at 6 am and up to now we are yet to vote. It takes one person close to 30 minutes to vote,” said one frustrated voter waiting in line.

“We have been asking them to replace that biometric machine but they don’t want to. We are wondering what the problem is, and they keep telling us everything will be okay. I want to tell the IEBC to listen to the voters,” the voter added.

📌 What You Need to Know

The delays threatened to slow voter turnout in what is regarded as one of the most politically significant by-elections ahead of the 2027 General Election.

Voting began at 6am across the constituency’s 114 polling stations under heavy security, with polls scheduled to close at 5pm before counting commences at individual polling stations.

Nine candidates are contesting the seat left vacant following the death of former MP David Kiaraho, but the race has effectively narrowed to a contest between the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP).

UDA has fielded Samuel Muchina Nyaga, while DCP is backing former MCA Sammy Kamau Ngotho. Other candidates include Wakili Kiragu Wathuta and Isaac Ndirangu.

The by-election has attracted nationwide attention, with political heavyweights from both camps campaigning intensely in what is widely viewed as the first major electoral test of political influence in the Mt. Kenya region since Gachagua’s fallout with President William Ruto.

Security has also been tightened, with more than 1,000 National Police Service officers deployed across the constituency.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya

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