Vihiga preparations almost complete, says IEBC official

Preparations for the August 9 election is almost complete in Vihiga county where IEBC expects more than 90 per cent voter turnout.

In 2017, the county had 272,409 registered voters with 546 polling stations but the number has risen to 310,063 within the five constituencies, including 20 prisoners at Vihiga prison.

The county has 628 polling stations from the initial 546, 82 new polling stations were created across the county to ease the process on August 9.

IEBC officials met with stakeholders from all over the county on a training programme for the preparedness and updates on the status of election at their Chavakali offices on Saturday.

Returning officer Peter Tiyo said he called the stakeholders' forum to update them on the preparedness.

“The status of preparedness involves three arms: preparedness in form of personnel, election materials and security arrangements,” Tiyo said.

He said they have trained all the election officials, which according to him, went on smoothly. 

Tiyo said election materials are also on track as ballot papers are being delivered to constituency offices.

“The only ballots that we are yet to receive are the presidential ones but by the end of Sunday, we shall be having them at our constituency offices,” he said.

The official called for peace and tranquility during the election period, adding that their main theme is ‘Vihiga county has chosen peace’, which is the message they are sending out to the public.

He said Hamisi constituency has the highest number of registered voters with 80,384 followed by  Sabatia (70,875) and Luanda with 56,310 voters.

Others are Vihiga constituency with 52,289 voters, Emuhaya (50,185) and Vihiga prison with 20 voters.

“We have more than 37,000 new registered voters added to the register.  Those voters can make a significant difference and contribution to the electoral process,” Tiyo said.

Stakeholders interviewed called on residents of Vihiga county to maintain peace during the election.

Luanda deputy county commissioner Benson Aluodho who met with candidates at Ebusakami urged them to maintain peace.

“In competition all of us we can’t win its only one and when the winner emerges lets accept. If you feel the results are not good then follow the right channels to complain, without disrupting our peace,” he said.

Aluodho said they have been educating people through peace walks and poems to ensure peace prevails. 

“We have seen that indeed IEBC is prepared for the election and we have faith that this election will be free and fair,” he said.

A few candidates present assured the DCC for free and fair election and promised to call upon their supporters to maintain peace before, during and after election.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)