12 June 2008
Nairobi — Gun shots and low voter turn out marked the beginning of the by-elections in Western Kenya.
In Kilgoris, police had to shoot in the air several times to repulse some youths who had planned to disrupt the exercise.
There was tension at Keringan polling as shots were fired in the air, causing a stampede. Some voters caught in the fracas abandoned voting and left.
The polling station based at the troubled territory of Maasai and Kipsigis was temporarily stopped as security officers moved swiftly to combat the situation.
Area OCPD, Joshua Omukata said a group of organised youths had tried to disrupt the exercise.
However, they were repulsed by the security personnel who lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.
At Enoosaen polling centre, ODM agents alleged that they had been locked out. However, ECK Commissioner, Daniel Wambura denied the claims.
A contingent of regular and Administration police officers kept vigil at the Trans Mara county council hall where tallying of the votes will be conducted.
In Emuhaya, the returning officer, Mr Joshua Musungu, said voting kicked off smoothly in all the 150 polling stations in the constituency.
"All the polling stations opened in time and no incidents have been reported so far," he said.
There are 18 candidates battling it out for the 81,031 registered voters in Emuhaya constituency.
Voting in Ainamoi parliamentary took off to a slow start Wednesday.
At Kipsigis county hall that has about 3,000 registered voters, only 17 people had arrived an hour after the station opened.
Agents of the candidates were also missing when the presiding officers called them forward to verify the ballot boxes forcing them to turn to the voters who had started trickling in.
Dr Paul Kiprono Chepkwony of UDM was the first to cast his vote at the Kapkurguwet polling station within Kericho town at 6.15 am.
ODM candidate, Benjamin Langat voted at Chepkoiyo primary school.
The District Election Coordinator, Mrs Catherine Langat said that the polling was going on smoothly even though the turn out was low.
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