Polling stations in Kibwezi West and Matungulu opened as early as 6am. Photo/FELIX MAGARA
MAKUENI, Kenya, Oct 17 – Kibwezi West residents joined their Matungulu counterparts at the polls on Thursday to elect their National Assembly representative. The polling stations visited by Capital FM News opened on time, 6am, as an average of half a dozen voters waited to cast their ballots. “I wouldn’t say we’ve gotten a flood of voters. It’s more of a trickle,” Tito Isaac, a Presiding Officer in Emali, told Capital FM News. Among those who cast their ballots at that early hour was the Kibwezi West Parliamentary seat contender Patrick Musimba. “I cast my ballot at exactly 6.25am,” Musimba told Capital FM News at his Kibwezi home on leaving the Kawelu Primary School polling centre where he is registered.His opponent Kalembe Ndile cast his vote two hours later at the Emali Primary School to which, as Musimba had done, he drove himself. Unlike Musimba however, who was unaccompanied, Ndile was escorted to the polling station by a handful of his supporters. And as those Capital FM News had interviewed, Ndile seemed pleased with the exercise. “It’s definitely better than it was during the General Election and as smooth as it was when we voted for Junior (Mutula) as Makueni Senator,” he compared. And on the subject of Junior, Ndile expressed confidence that he will outmatch the former’s winning margin. “I expect to secure 99 percent of the votes. In fact, I’m not in this race with Musimba but Junior and expect to topple his 92 percent winning margin,” Ndile said laughing. In the same way, Ndile dismissed the accusation that his supporters assaulted Musimba on Monday in Makindu where they had both planned to hold rallies. “If he was assaulted it must have been the market vendors because I heard he spoke ill of Raila (Odinga) and Kalonzo (Musyoka) or he might even have orchastrated it himself to paint me in bad light. Such is politics,” Ndile said to laughter. He then went on to accuse Musimba of voter bribery, allegations Musimba has denied. The true test of their character will however come once the polls are closed at 5pm, tallying commenced and a winner announced.
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