All eyes on IEBC ahead of Garissa by-election set for Thursday

Eyes have now been set on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct the Garissa Parliamentary by-election.

Over 54,000 voters will cast their votes in 103 polling stations on Thursday in a hotly contested seat.

The seat fell vacant after Aden Duale resigned to take up the Defence Cabinet secretary position in President William Ruto's government.

There was a beehive of activities at Garissa University, the main tallying centre, on Wednesday with both Garissa Township and county returning Officers briefing the Presiding Officer and other officials ahead of the mini polls.

Addressing Journalists on Wednesday, Garissa county IEBC coordinator Abdiwahid Hussein said preparations were complete with election materials delivered to various polling stations in the cosmopolitan constituency.

“We had very peaceful elections in Garissa during August, we are asking the same to happen this time, as a commission we are prepared to conduct free, fair and credible elections,” he said.

He warned politicians, both from the constituency and outside from going to polling stations, noting that the move would create tension amongst the voters while also urging the electorates to vote and go home.

The county Returning Officer said they have planned an elaborate mechanism with security officers who are expected to secure electoral officials and voters during the elections adding that they have already been briefed accordingly.

There was also heightened security around the town with police officers seen in different corners of the town.

“We will not allow politicians to be moving from one polling station to another. They have done their campaigns and they should allow the electorate to make their choices without being intimidated,” said Garissa County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich.

Cherutich said that the mapping of potential hotspots has been finalized and adequate security personnel will be deployed accordingly.

Five candidates will battle it out to succeed the vocal politician with the battle now narrowing down to two Kenya Kwanza candidates, the electoral body cleared seven candidates however five are now remaining after two stepped down in favour of other candidates.

Those in the race are Dekow Mohamed Barrow of UDA also popularly known as Major Dekow, Nassir Dolal alias Jofle, Ibrahim Malow (Narc Kenya), Abdifaisal Amin (ODM) and former Fafi mp Abdikarim Osman of Democratic Party.

Kenya Kwanza has Major Dekow of UDA, Abdikarim of the Democratic Party (DP) and Nasir Dolal of UDM while Azimio has Muhiadin Abdirashid of DAP-Kenya, Ibrahim Malow of Narc-Kenya, Abdifaisal Amin of ODM.

The contest for the seat has seen highly tense campaigns with the Immediate Mp and Defence cabinet secretary Aden Duale and Mandera Roba Senator Ali Roba pitching tents in the constituency.

The stake is high considering the place of Aden Duale in the new government.

The vocal politician has been the leader of the majority party in the national assembly for eight years before he was hounded out of office during a purge ON leaders allied to then Deputy President William Ruto.

Duale was elected MP for Garissa Township for four consecutive terms with different parties.

While Duale has publicly thrown his weight behind the UDA candidate, Ali Roba the UDM party chairman and Senator for Border county of Mandera has been drumming support for Nasir Dolal, in what analyst belief is a move to have a footnote in the Northern politics.