All set for Garissa township by-election, says Guliye

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced that it is ready for the January 5 Garissa Township MP by-elections.

Speaking in Garissa town on Friday after assessing the ongoing preparations for the by-elections, IEBC commissioner Abdi Guliye said that training of the polling and deputy polling officers had already been done while the training for clerks would be done early next week.

Guliye urged the Garissa Township voters to turn up in large numbers to vote and also maintain peace during the whole process.

"We appeal to everyone that there is no need for any fights. The commission is going to be neutral in the process," he said.

"After voting, do not hang around the polling stations. Just go home and leave the commission to do its work of tallying and announcing the results," Guliye added.

The commissioner further urged the candidates and other politicians to avoid unnecessary movements from one polling to another which may cause anxiety.

Garissa county commissioner Boaz Cherutich said that the security team is working around the clock to ensure that peace prevails during the period.

He stated that the police will conduct patrols in all areas and tackle any issue that may arise.

"We are working closely with IEBC to ensure that we conduct a peaceful election. We are going to deploy our officers in all the polling stations in the constituency," Cherutich said.

" I want to urge the residents to come out in large numbers so that they can vote because we are going to provide security," he added.

Campaigns for the race by candidates are at the peak with Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale leading campaigns for UDA's Major (Rtd) Mohamed Dekow while on the other hand, Mandera senator Ali Roba is leading campaigns for UDM's Nassir Dolal.

Others in the race are former Fafi MP Abdikarim Osman who is running on a Democratic Party (DP) ticket, Ali Mohammed (Usawa kwa Wote), Shure Ibrahim Malow (Narc Kenya), and Hassan Abdi Ahmed (Safina)