Ministry of Health Covid-19 Protocols will have to be adhered to tomorrow when Msambweni residents will queue in lines to elect their new MP after the death of former MP Sulemain Dori. – By Ramadhan Kambi.
At least 69,003 voters will troop to polling stations to elect their new Member of Parliament and the the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that all is set for the exercise.
Msambweni Constituency Returning Officer Yusuf Abubakar told reporters at Dr Babla Secondary that the agency concluded the revision of the constituency’s voters’ register and all the 69,003 electorates have been listed on the roll.
Dr Babla Secondary school is the main tallying centre.
The voter register verification ended last week and all the 69,003 voters have been captured ready for the voting exercise. Voting will start 6am and close at 5pm under all Covid-19 health protocols,” he said.
He urged voters to wear masks as they cast their votes while observing social distance to curb the spread of coronavirus.
“We are in extraordinary circumstances which requires us to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines and we are expected to wear masks,” he said, adding that the exercise will go on undisturbed past curfew hours.
He said the agency is working with the Ministry of Health and Red Cross to ensure emergency issues that require medical attention are attended to in a timely manner.
“We have liaised with the ministry of health and ambulances will be placed strategically to deal with emergences,” he said.
Mr Abubakar said already voting materials had been delivered at the tallying center awaiting to be transported to the 129 polling stations in the constituency.
The government has deployed at least 300 officers to beef up security in the constituency.
The by-election has witnessed intense campaigns that ended Saturday with top political leaders in the country and their allies pitching tent in the constituency to woo voters.
Among the eight contenders include Orange Democratic Movement’s Omar Boga who is supported by party Leader Raila Odinga and Deputy President William Ruto’s backed independent candidate Feisal Bader seen as frontrunners.
Other candidates include independents Charles Bilali and Mansury Kumaka.
While others are Marere Wamwachai (National Vision Party), Hassan Mwakulonda (Party of Economic Democracy), Khamis Mwakaonje (United Green Movement) and Wiper’s Shee Abdulrahman.
During the campaigns, the candidates focused hunting for votes in areas with high number of voters across the four wards of Ukunda, Gombato/Bongwe, Kinondo and Ramisi.
