Security has been heightened in and around Garbatulla High School, which has been designated as the tallying centre for Thursday’s Isiolo South by-election.
Siblings Tubi Mohammed of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and Jubilee’s Bina Tubi are squaring off in the race.
On Wednesday morning, they witnessed officials from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) break the seals of the ballot boxes.
The seat fell vacant following the death of former area lawmaker Mohamed Tubi Bidu, the father of the two candidates, in November last year.
Meanwhile, the commission says it’s set for the polls. Residents of West Kabras Ward in Malava Constituency, and Muminji and Evurore Wards in Mbeere North Constituency will also cast their ballots to choose their new Members of County Assembly.
IEBC Chairman Erastus Ethekon said several critical milestones have so far been achieved ahead of the polls.
They include the completion of procurement of election materials, gazettement of nominated candidates, polling stations, and tallying centres.
Also finalized is the servicing, testing, configuration and readiness of the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits for deployment.
“All eligible voters in the certified Register of Voters for the respective by-election areas will be identified using the KIEMS kits. The Register of Voters has been displayed at each polling station for public verification,” the statement by IEBC Chairperson reads in part.
Polling stations will open at 6:00am and close at 5:00pm. In cases where opening is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, the Commission says the time lost will be compensated.
Ethekon has called on voters to follow instructions issued by polling officials to facilitate an orderly voting process.
With only few hours remaining ahead of the polls – the second to be managed by the Ethekon-led electoral body – candidates have been warned that any form of campaigning or engagement of voters for electoral purposes will not be permissible forthwith.
Campaigns officially closed Monday, February 23, at 6 pm in line with the gazetted election timelines.
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Additional reporting by Margaret Kalekye
