Kenya: Violence Rocks South Gem By-Elections in Siaya

9 December 2022
Capital FM (Nairobi)

Siaya — Violence rocked South Gem ward by elections when supporters of different candidates faced off in Siaya County Thursday .

Several people were injured and more than 10 vehicles, among them one carrying journalists pelted with stones as they ran into the goons at Kambare polling station.

Gem sub county police commander, Charles Chacha confirmed the incident, adding that another vehicle overturned after being pelted with stones, throwing its human cargo off, injuring five occupants.

Chacha who talked to the media on phone said two other people were knocked by the vehicle, adding that the injured were rushed to Bondo sub county referral hospital.

"We received reports that there were chaos at Kambare polling station and when we proceeded there, we found two groups, one from Polycarp Wanga (ODM) and another group belonging to Brian Onyango (Independent) clashing," he said.

He said that the police managed to contain the situation and in the process, as the ODM supporters were leaving the place, their vehicles were pelted with stones.

ODM candidate, Polycarp Wanga who later led more than 10 vehicles damaged during the skirmishes in various parts of the ward to report the incident at Akala police station condemned the incident and accused the police of not acting decisively against the goons.

Wanga who addressed the media outside the Akala police station accused his opponent of hiring goons to cause mayhem and bar people, especially the elderly from going out to cast their votes.

Earlier, the South Gem returning officer, Ezekiel Juma told journalists that about 12% of the voters had casted their votes by mid-day.

Juma exuded confidence that the turnout would improve in the course of the day.

"The turnout is very low and we hope that by 5 pm when closing the polling centres, the turnout will have improved," said Juma who addressed the media at Aluor Girls primary school hall that is also the ward tallying centre.

South Gem ward has a total of 18,560 registered voters who will be casting their votes in 41 polling stations.

The contest has attracted nine candidates John Otieno Adino (Liberal Democratic Party), David Audi Onyango (United Democratic Movement), David Akach Nyang'un (Independent), Brian Chieng Anyango Obiero (Independent), Enock Okinyi (Communist Party of Kenya), Benard Otieno Ondego (Movement for Democracy and Growth), Kenneth Omollo Otieno (Jubilee), Christopher Ouma Owuoth (Independent) and Polycarp Otieno Wanga (ODM). - Kna

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