Low Voter Turnout Mars Mombasa and Kakamega Governor Elections

Low voter turnout was experienced on Monday, August 29 in the Mombasa and Kakamega Governor elections. 

A section of the candidates in the Mombasa Gubernatorial elections expressed concern with the low turnout urging residents to come out and vote. 

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) candidate for the Governor seat Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir urged residents to come and vote after casting his vote at Mvita primary. 

"The voter turnout is extremely low. We need people to come out and vote," Abdulswamad stated. 

Nassir is facing competition from Hassan Omar of UDA in succeeding outgoing Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. 

According to Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) data, Mombasa county has 642,362 registered voters.

A spot check by Nairobi Leo at various polling centres established that only a few voters strolled to the stations, with no long queues witnessed by 11:00 am. 

It was a similar story in Kakamega Country where long queues were not witnessed by the time of publishing the story.

Fernandes is facing stiff competition from Cleophas Malalah of ANC for the Governor seat. 

The patterns have been replicated in all areas where IEBC Chair Wafula Chebukati had postponed the elections. All the areas include; 

a) Gubernatorial positions – Mombasa and Kakamega Counties

b) Member of National Assembly – Kitui Rural Constituency (Kitui County), Kacheliba Constituency (West Pokot County), Pokot South Constituency (West Pokot County), and Rongai Constituency (Nakuru County)

c) Member of County Assembly Ward – Nyaki West (North Imenti Constituency - Meru County), Kwa Njenga (Embakasi South Constituency – Nairobi County)