Vote counting disrupted as Kajembe’s kin storm polling centre

Former Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe whose wife, daughter and three other people were arrested after they stormed Amani Primary School polling station on August 8, 2017 in Jomvu claiming there was rigging going on. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The relatives who were accompanied by armed men threatened to stop the process “unless rigging stopped”.
  • Mr Kajembe is supporting Jubilee's Karisa Nzai.
  • The supporters were later thrown out of the premises.

The wife of former Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe, his daughter and three other people have been arrested after they stormed Amani Primary School polling station in Jomvu Constituency claiming that rigging was going on.

Vote counting was temporary halted following the disruption by the politician’s relatives.

Changamwe DCIO Francis Wanjau confirmed that the arrested people are currently being held at Changamwe Police Station.

The relatives who were accompanied by armed men threatened to stop the vote counting “unless rigging stopped”.

Mr Kajembe, who is also the Kenya Ferry Chairman, was forced to intervene and quell his children.

His son, Mwidani Kajembe, is vying on an independent ticket while his son-in-law, Badi Twalib, the incumbent Jomvu MP, is defending his seat on an ODM party ticket.

Mr Kajembe is supporting Jubilee's Karisa Nzai.

Police were forced to intervene after one of the armed supporters of Mr Kajembe removed a firearm.

Two rival supporters of Mr Nzai and Mr Twalib claimed rigging after a daughter of Mr Kajembe, who had a media tag, was allowed in the polling station during vote counting.

However, journalists were not allowed into the polling station during the fierce confrontation.

The supporters were later thrown out of the premises.

Since 2013 the family has had a long feud over politics.