[PHOTOS] Smoke, panic as residents flee after teargas disrupts Ol Kalou by-election

Clouds of teargas hung over parts of Ol Kalou on Thursday as frightened residents sprinted through the streets, abandoning what they were doing in a desperate rush to escape the choking smoke during the ongoing parliamentary by-election.

The tense scenes unfolded outside Ol Kalou Comprehensive Primary School, where thick plumes of smoke billowed into the air as people scattered in different directions.

Some covered their faces with hands while most people hurried away in different directions, as the usually busy trading centre emptied within minutes.

Most kiosks near the polling centre remained shut, while a handful of hawkers who had been selling their wares hurriedly gathered their merchandise before fleeing the area.

Others watched from a distances from the rooftop of their apartments as panic spread.

Despite the brief disruption, polling continued in other parts of the constituency under the supervision of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), with security officers remaining on the ground.

The Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election has drawn considerable political attention, with voters turning out to elect their new Member of Parliament.