•A spot check by the Star in most polling stations across the constituency revealed few residents turned up to vote.
• In some polling stations only elections officials and candidates’ agents were there in the morning.
Low turnout of voters was witnessed in the Juja Parliamentary seat by-elections.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conducted the polls to fill the void after the seat fell vacant following the death of MP Francis Munyua commonly known as Wakapee.
A spot check by the Star in most polling stations across the constituency revealed few residents turned up to vote. In some polling stations only elections officials and candidates’ agents were there in the morning.
Some of the candidates who spoke after casting their votes urged residents to turn up for voting assuring them that security. Hundreds of police officers were deployed in all 184 polling stations across Juja constituency.
Wakapee’s widow and the Jubilee candidate in the polls Susan Njeri who spoke after casting her vote at Jomo Kenyatta Primary school in Juja town noted that the voter turn out was relatively low, but was optimistic that residents would turn up.
Njeri however noted that most residents and voters in the constituency are workers in flower farms, industries and schools in the region and that they would participate in the voting exercise after work.
“I’m appealing to IEBC to be a bit flexible and add our voters some more time so that they can participate and vote in their leader of choice. We understand that most of them are workers and will be rushing to vote in the evening,” Njeri said.
She however observed that the exercise was being conducted while observing transparency and maintaining integrity adding that she is confident of clinching the seat.
People’s Empowerment Party (PEP) candidate George Koimburi who cast his vote at Magomano Primary school polling station in Theta ward echoed Njeri’s sentiments saying that the number of voters was low.
Koimburi who was accompanied by his party leader and the Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria also urged locals to turn up for voting noting that peace was well maintained by the security forces.
Kuria said that he was disappointed by Juja residents for giving a wide berth to the polling station urging them to take the opportunity and exercise their democratic right by voting in a leader of their choice.
Dr Joseph Gichui, an independent candidate also pleaded with residents to turn up and vote in a leader who would address their concerns. He cast his vote at Murera chief’s post polling station.
A few irregularities were however recorded. At Jomo Kenyatta primary school polling station, a man was arrested with photos of a certain candidate which he was giving to voters.
Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba who had accompanied Njeri to cast her vote also claimed that they had information of some individuals printing fake IEBC reflectors with intentions of perpetrating elections malpractices.
“Some individuals allied to some candidates have also been peddling propaganda that lights will be switched off at the tallying center. This is a white lie and we are urging Juja residents to disregard such propaganda,” Gathoni said.
Some of the voters who spoke to the Star said that they will be electing a leader who will help address some of the problems they have been facing for decades including roads, water, electricity connection and title deeds.
“We have been given fake promises for years that roads will be constructed once we vote in a certain person. We have been electing leaders but they never fulfill their promises. We hope that this narrative will be brought to an end by the leader who will emerge the winner,” resident James Mirigo said.
Other candidates vying for the seat include Eunice Wanjiru (The New Democrats), John Njoroge (People’s Party of Kenya), Antony Kirori (Maendeleo Chap Chap), Kennedy Gachuma (National Liberal Party,) Zulu Thiong’o (Independent), James Kariuki (Independent), Rashid Iregi (Independent) and Kariuki Chege (Independent).