NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 4 – Queues in Starehe constituency started thinning by early afternoon, with little or no activity seen at some polling stations.
As compared to the morning hours when long queues formed at the stations, very few people cast votes from midday.
However, security remained tight at all the polling stations throughout the day and no incident had been reported by 2pm.
“We are very happy because of the efficiency of the IIEC officials. I came here and within 10 minutes I had already cast my vote and I am now going home,” Jane, a voter at the Kenya Polytechnic said.
Another voter Eric Kinyua said he did not experience any difficulties at the polling centre unlike during the 2007 General Elections when he had to check for his name in three polling stations.
“There is a very big difference this time, we are spending a very short time at the poling station and the exercise is going on well,” he expressed.
Other voters interviewed said they were particularly impressed with the tight security measures put in place at the polling stations and residential estates during the polls.
Heavily armed police officers were seen patrolling all the polling stations in Nairobi and even sniffer dogs were used in some areas.
“We are out to ensure that there is security for everyone during this period. No one should intimidate voters anywhere for whatever reason. All Kenyans must vote peacefully,” Wilfred Mbithi, the Head of Police operations in Nairobi said.
“I have deployed officers in all the polling stations and even in the estates, but I am personally carrying out patrols in those areas just to ensure all is well. So far, we are doing well,” Mr Mbithi told Capital News at the Moi Avenue Primary School.
At the St Teresa’s Secondary School in Juja, we caught up with Johnson Nduati moments after he cast his ballot.
“I have just voted and I am surprised how the IIEC are conducting the activity, I was worried that I will find a long queue but I have just realised that there is no queue at all. Most people voted in the morning,” Nduati said.
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