Violence rocks Kakamega as voting concludes
After a relatively quiet morning, chaos and protests rocked several areas in Kakamega County in the afternoon on polling day, with police involved in running battles with hundreds of protestors.
The confrontation started around midday when most of these protestors who were chanting anti-Jubilee slogans, barricaded the Kakamega-Kisumu highway using stones, twigs and broken bottles at the Ikambi wa Khayega market.
Dozens of bare chested youth, who were part of the protestors, were also spotted harassing and robbing motorists plying the busy route.
“They are trying to intimidate and scare voters and business people. We wont let that happen,” Western regional police commander Moses Mbati said.
ARRESTED
Ultimately, police fired several teargas canisters and live bullets in the air to disperse the swelling crowd.
The determined youth however regrouped, hurling stones and missiles at the officers but were eventually overwhelmed. Dozens of the protestors were arrested.
A standoff between the Police and youth was witnessed at the Malinya Primary with the officers accusing the crowd of inciting voters against participating in the elections.
At the same time, voting in the area was marked by a relatively low turnout in comparison to the August 8 elections.
A spot check by the Nairobi News revealed no queues at the Shikokho Primary, Malinya Primary and Makhokho Secondary polling centres in Ikolomani Constituency.