By E, KNA
Kilifi South Member of Parliament Ken Chonga was Thursday thrown out of several polling centres where he had gone to ‘monitor’ the Magarini by-election.
Chonga was chased away by irate supporters of Democracy for the Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Stanley Karisa Kenga from, among others, Mtoroni, Msumarini and Kanagoni polling centres, for allegedly targeting Kenga’s strongholds to intimidate voters.
The legislator, who described himself as a Super-Agent for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, defended himself from the accusation. Police officers manning the centres however asked him to leave in peace, and he obliged.
The chaotic situations however did not disrupt voters from exercising their constitutional mandate of voting for their preferred candidates.
Meanwhile, voters streamed into 193 polling stations to elect a new representative following the nullification of Mr Harrison Garama Kombe’s election victory through an election petition filed by Mr. Kenga.
Mr Kombe, who is defending his seat on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, cast his vote at Mapimo Central Comprehensive School in Gongoni Ward at about 6.15 am while Mr. Kenga voted at Kanagoni Comprehensive School in Adu Ward shortly before 10.00 am.
The two are the top contenders in the race that attracted 10 candidates. Three of the candidates are said to have withdrawn from the race although they are in the ballot papers, having been cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Both Kombe and Kenga exuded confidence that they would win the by-election and called on the IEBC to carry out its duties fairly.
Kombe however claimed that ODM agents had been denied access to some polling station while Kenga accused leaders from outside the constituency of trying to interfere with the electoral process.
Observers who talked to the media said the process was largely peaceful but condemned incidents in which some leaders had been seen openly bribing and intimidating voters.