Lamu,KENYA:The voter turn out in the repeat presidential exercise in Lamu town was at its lowest despite polling stations having opened at 6am required time.
The first voter turned up at around 7.30am to cast their vote and even then the turn out remained miserably low.
However county elections coordinator Mohamed Adan confirmed that voting has kicked off in all the 168 polling stations around Lamu.
Residents of terror prone Basuba and Kiunga wards this experienced a change after voting materials and staff arrived on time enabling them to participate in the exercise unlike on August 8 when the staff and materials arrived a day late and many of them missed taking part in the exercise.
Adan confirmed that voting in Basuba kicked off at 6am.
He said voting materials and election staff were airlifted to the area and other areas within the Linda Boni security operation zones by a chopper which currently stationed in Faza.
“All is well. I have toured most of the polling stations so far. We have been able to open all polling stations by 6am. Even voters in Basuba and Kiunga have been able to cast vote on time this time round. We have no issues or hitches reported so far,” said Adan.
While commenting on the low voter turn out,Adan attributed the low turn out to the fact that people of Lamu are naturally latecomers but expressed confidence that more would turn up to cast their vote in the course of the day.
Her urged residents to come out in large numbers and vote adding that there security had been guaranteed.
“Those who have voted so far are few but we know in Lamu that’s how people are,they wake up late but I know in due course they will come and vote,”said Adan.
County commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo urged residents to turn out and vote and that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure their safety while doing so.
On Wednesday,Kitiyo banned anti-election protests in Lamu and so far nothing of the sort has been witnessed anywhere in the county.
