Migori Senate by-election kicks off

Voters queue to cast their ballots at Migori Primary School on Monday, October 8, 2018. Six candidates are battling it out to fill the Migori Senate seat that fell vacant following death of Ben Okelo. PHOTO| BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Voting started at 6am and some of the electorates Nation interviewed expressed their joy of having exercised their democratic right in a peaceful environment.
  • Six candidates are battling it out to fill the vacant senate seat.
  • Seat fell vacant following the death of Ben Oluoch in June this year.
  • The Migori senate race is seen as a two-horse race between ODM's Ayacko and Federal Party of Kenya candidate Eddy Oketch.

Migori residents woke up as early as 5am to vote in the senatorial by-election occasioned by the death of Ben Oluoch Okello in June this year.

Voting started at 6am and some of the voters Nation interviewed expressed their joy of having exercised their democratic right in a peaceful environment.

“I am happy I have voted. All is well and we shall have our preferred senator,” said an elderly woman, Ms Grace Ocholla.

Security has been beefed up in and outside the polling centres, with officers sending away idlers.

An elderly woman casts her vote at Migori Primary School polling station on October 8, 2018 as six candidates battle it out to fill the Senate seat that fell vacant after the death of Ben Okello. PHOTO | RUTH MBULA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Each of the 826 polling stations in the county is being manned by at least two police officers.

Nyanza Regional police boss Leonard Katana said his officers will make sure order and peace are maintained during the by-election.

“We have mapped out the hotspots and our deployment in those areas will be different," he said.

Mr Peter Jobando, the Green Congress Party candidate, casts his ballot at Kowiti Primary School polling station on Monday, October 8, 2018. PHOTO | BENSON MOMANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Some of the officers have been brought in from neighbouring counties to assist in maintaining order.

Migori has been notorious for violence during campaigns and elections, although few fracases were reported in campaigns for this mini poll.

IEBC commissioner Abdi Guliye said all had kicked off smoothly and they hope that the exercise will end well.

The six candidates that are battling it out are Mr Ochillo Ayacko (Orange Democratic Movement), Mr Eddy Oketh (Federal Party of Kenya), Mr Peter Jobando (Green Congress Party), Mr Solomon Hodo Rugaria (People's Democratic Party), Mr Samwel Otieno (independent) and Mr Dickson Ogolla (independent).

The Migori Senate race is seen as a two-horse race between Mr Ayacko and Mr Oketch.

Migori County has about 388,000 registered voters.