A young man was seriously injured and a motorbike torched when supporters of Jubilee and Cord clashed in Kariobangi, Nairobi, over voter registration.
The two groups differed over a decision by the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission to move a voter registration centre from the Marula Primary School to the Kariobangi Social Hall.
Isaiah Onyango, 30, was admitted at the Mama Lucy Hospital, where he is receiving treatment for a facial injury after he was hit with a stone.
Silvan Odour had his motorbike torched in the skirmishes.
The two groups together stormed the Kariobangi police station to protest the IEBC decision to move the voter registration centre. Only 500 voters have enrolled at Marura Primary School.
Police reports indicated trouble started at around 10am, when area MP James Gakuya, MCA Michael Wainaina of Jubilee and MCA aspirant Michael Ouma Majiwa of Cord stormed the police station with their supporters.
The politician demanded that the police intervene after the IEBC decided to move the voter registration centre. The two centres are only 500 metres apart.
Jubilee supporters wanted the voter registration centre to remain at the Marula Primary School, where the exercise has been conducted for the last two weeks.
The two groups pelted each other with stones, robbed motorists and engaged the police in running battles.
Peter Ochieng, who has lived in Kariobangi for 40 years, said last week he reported to the police that some people had been ferried in buses to the Marula centre, where they were made to register as voters.
He claimed some of the people came from as far away as Pipeline Estate in Embakasi.
He said police did not take any action on their complaint.
IEBC officials and local politicians were last evening in a meeting to resolve the stalemate.
MP Gakuya said his supporters were angry after IEBC moved the registration centre without involving the local politicians.
“This is a clear indication that Cord is afraid of losing elections, that’s why they are resorting to violence.
“How can you detect that those coming to register are from which area? The law allows everybody to register anywhere,” said Gakuya.
IEBC spokesman Tabitha Mutemi said though the constitution allowed all people to register at a place of their choice, it was politically wrong for politicians to ferry people from other areas to register.