Kilifi,KENYA: Kilifi County polling Centre have been hit by low voter turn- out despite the exercise commencing as early as 6:00 am on Thursday.
At the Karisa Maitha Sports ground polling Centre just a handful number of people could be seen queuing in different polling stations, some streams remaining empty.
The same scenario was witnessed at Kibaoni primary school and Kilifi primary school polling centres in Kilifi North Constituency.
However at Kilifi Primary school polling Centre, the exercise was hit by a breakdown of the Kenya Integrated Management System (KIEMS) kit at stream six after recording just one voter.
The Centre’s Presiding Officer Ronny Mramba said the system failed to operate immediately the first person, forcing him to seek assistance from IEBC ICT officers who by the time we went on air they had not intervened.
“We are concern because we are not moving as at now as the KIEMS failed to operate some minutes to 7.00am after we had served one voter,” Mramba said.
“We have contacted the ICT department but as at now they have not yet sorted the problem. We are still waiting, hoping it is sorted as fast as possible to ease the exercise,” he added.
Karisa Maitha polling Centre’s Presiding Officer Dodwell Menza said there are no cases of voters missing on the voters register that has been reported.
“We have not recorded any irregularity, though there is low voter turnout. The exercise is peaceful and we will be glad if it will be the same until we conclude,” Menza said.
Ali Abdallah, who turned out to vote at Karisa Maitha sports ground polling Centre said it is challenging to repeat an election, the reason why there is low turnout being witnessed in the Presidential repeat election.
“The service is good and the voting exercise has no issues. We are only praying for a peaceful day.
