Nairobi — This week's by-elections are special in one way: they are a litmus test for the coalition government partners ODM and PNU.

There will be by-elections in five constituencies across the country: Embakasi, Kilgoris, Emuhaya, Ainamoi and Wajir North and elections in 53 civic wards.

The major battle is expected in Embakasi constituency which has close to a quarter million voters. ODM candidate Esther Passaris will be battling it out with the PNU candidate and former deputy mayor Ferdinand Waititu, former Ugenya aspirant Steve Mwanga, former Kibwezi MP and political migrant Kalembe Ndile, Kaddu's Inviolata Mbwavi and DP's Anastasia Mathenge.

The seat fell vacant following the death of area MP Melitus Mugabe Were in January.

The Ainamoi seat also fell vacant after area MP, David Kimutai Too was killed in Eldoret. Emuhaya fell vacant after Kenneth Marende was elected House Speaker. No winner was declared in Wajir North after two candidates tied at 3,675 votes.

Election cancelled

In Kilgoris, the election was cancelled after ballot papers were destroyed before tallying had been completed.

Ms Passaris claims that PNU is trying to use the by-elections to acquire a majority in Parliament and later challenge the legality of ODM leader Raila Odinga's position of the Prime Minister.

Though she says she fears the insecurity in the constituency and has a big security team, Ms Passaris is upbeat that all will go well, saying ECK will have to do its best to absolve itself of what happened in the last General Election.

Mr Waititu, on the other hand, appealed to his competitors to refrain from abusing him in their campaign platforms.

Mr Ndile is on record criticising Mr Waititu due to what he called "numerous court cases" adding that Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta's support for him was suspicious.

The Ainamoi seat has attracted four candidates. They include Dr Paul Chepkwony, ODM's Benjamin Langat, who is a brother to the late MP, Mr John Kibet Keino (Agano), Paul Chirchir (Kanu) and Mr Parveen Sigey of UDPI.

The decision by Lt-Gen (rtd) John Koech, who vied for the ODM nominations, to decamp from the party and support Dr Chepkwony of UDM has complicated matters for the Orange party ahead of the June 11 polls.

Gen Koech's decision seems to have complicated matters for the ODM. Though it remains the popular party, the decision by a number of powerful politicians in the area means that the party has to work extra hard to recapture the seat that was won by the late David Too.

It is still too early to say who between ODM and UDM has an upper-hand in Ainamoi. Mr Langat is also expected to heavily rely on the support he will receive from ODM's Pentagon members once they campaign for him.

Land issues are key in Ainamoi which has a large squatter population, which explains why it was adversely affected by the post-election violence.

The issue of IDPs remains controversial and the aspirants seem to have realised that and have avoided it during their campaigns.

Land issue

Both aspirants are promising to take a motion to Parliament on the land issue where those who lost their ancestral land to White settlers are either compensated or given alternative land.

Declining educational standards, poverty, roads, electricity and water supply are also crucial here.

Ainamoi constituency has more than 70,000 registered voters and 119 polling centres.

Meanwhile, the two major communities in Kilgoris -- Kipsigis and Maasai -- are keeping their fingers crossed as the battle for the seat intensifies.

The battle is between the PNU candidate, Mr Gideon Konchella (Maasai), and ODM's Mr Johana Ng'eno (Kipsigis).

Kilgoris, the only constituency in Trans Mara district, is perhaps one of the most unique political territories in Kenya today.

Clans and tribes

The outside world has not interfered much with the social set-up of the people here.

A section of the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve lies within the constituency.

Politics here revolves around clans and tribes and there are 73,251 registered voters.

Statistics show that while the Maasai community has the lion's share of about 40,000 registered voters, the Kipsigis follow closely with about 32,000 registered voters.

It took the intervention of former House Speaker Francis ole Kaparo to broker the deal that saw Mr Konchella nominated.

Poor infrastructure, illiteracy and cattle rustling are the main issues.

As the clock ticks towards June 11, the race for Emuhaya has seen the 17 men and a lady gunning for the seat unleash every available trick to clinch victory.

From door-to-door campaigns to civic education and calling for reinforcements from their party's headquarters, no effort is being spared in the race to Parliament. All the major political parties will be pitching tent in the constituency to back up their candidates as campaigns enter the home stretch.

Analysts say that the seat will be a test of Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi's mettle in the province.

Mr Jirongo's party, Kaddu, is fronting Mr Julius Sikalo Ochiel, who was the first runners-up in the last General Election, then on a PNU ticket.

Narc Kenya officials Danson Mungatana and Martha Karua have been following campaigns in the area closely to ensure that the party's nominee, Prof Norah Olembo, sails through.

Mark Echoka of the Party of Independent Candidates of Kenya has been left guessing whether party chairman, Harun Mwau, will be leading a campaign team there.

The scramble for votes in the Wajir North parliamentary by-election has seen PNU and ODM engage in one of the most forceful and aggressive campaigns ever witnessed in the constituency.

The two parties are testing the waters in North Eastern to know who among them commands a bigger following in the vast and marginalised province ahead of 2012.

Reported by Samwel Kumba, Sollo Kiragu, Patrick Mayoyo, Jackline Moraa, Cosmas Butunyi and Muchemi Wachira