KENYA COMMUNITY SUPPORT CENTRE (KECOSCE)

MOMBASA COUNTY ELECTIONS SITUATION BRIEF NO.015

VOTER BRIBERY, LOW VOTER TURN OUT IN MOMBASA GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS.POLICE APPLAUDED FOR MANAGING CROWDS AND ENSURING VOTING PROGRESSES WTHOUT DISRUPTION.

SITUATION ANALYSIS

The IEBC officials were set for the elections by 0600hrs in Mombasa county. With one ballot box in every polling station, the voting exercise is expected to take less time to vote.

The electoral security has been enhanced in all the polling stations. The police vehicles are reportedly moving on the streets to maintain order and safety for the citizens who are going to vote.

The county remains generally calm with most activities going on as usual. Most shops and restaurants have opened and some workers have gone to their places of work.
KECOSCE, with support from the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is implementing this “SAFE-COAST Elections Electoral Violence Prevention Monitoring Project in Mombasa, Kilifi, and Kwale Counties in Kenya. This project is part of our wider efforts to promote peace and security and especially the rule of law during this electioneering period. Through the project, KECOSCE has supported election monitors and observers deployed in all 6 constituencies in Mombasa County.

By 1200 noon, the KECOSCE EWER system had received 69 electoral-related reports raising various concerns which were disaggregated into

1. low voter turnout
2. Bribery of voters
3. illegal gatherings outside the polling stations
4. KIEMS kit failure
5. chaos
6. deployment of police and
7. crime

Nyali and Kisauni are the most volatile constituencies in Mombasa county. Likoni and Mvita are also on the list of watch out due to the threat of the presence of juvenile gangs who are targeting voters.

The number of residents walking into the polling stations to cast votes has been observed to be extremely low for all the polling stations in Mombasa County. Observers in all the constituencies have observed less than 30% voter turnout. According to the interviews conducted by KECOSCE, the low turnout is attributed to the deteriorated faith of citizens in the democratic process and IEBC in Kenya. However, some voters had already traveled to other counties where they work.

The process of voting is taking less than 3 minutes per person. There are no ques being reported in the polling stations.

Electoral misconduct has been reported in many polling stations. Party agents and some MCAs allied to the candidates have been caught in several stations unduly influencing the voters through bribing. UDA and ODM have expressed voter bribery concerns during media briefings. The Azimio allies are moving across the polling stations.

All the candidates and their allies are urging the residents to come out and elect their governor in Mombasa. By 1100hrs, most of the gubernatorial aspirants had already cast their votes in various polling stations.

Observers have reported a number of citizens gathered outside the polling stations. Interviews conducted reveal that they are waiting for the politicians and agents to bribe them before they cast their votes. This has been reported at Pentrose and Kongowea polling stations in Nyali, Mjambere in Kisauni, and Shikaadabu Polling Center in Likoni.

Juvenile gangs are also in operation. Journalists covering the election in Mombasa were attacked and robbed of their cameras by knife-wielding goons in the Mvita area of Mombasa. The survivors managed to file a complaint at Makupa police station in Mvita where investigations are ongoing.

Those who came out to vote are facing challenges. 2 incidences of voter challenges have been reported in Kongowea in Nyali and St Elizabeth polling center Kisauni. At Kongowea, a voter who had transferred from Kisauni to Nyali several months ago (he had not voted in the general elections) was referred to his original polling station in Kisauni as his transfer was not updated in the KIEMs kit.

In Kisauni, the KIEMs failed to identify a voter hence he had to vote manually. Chaos was reported at Tumaini primary school in Nyali over bribery.

Youths confronted each other over the money that a politician had given out for distribution. Also, at Kongowea Methodist Church in Nyali, one man was arrested for causing chaos outside a polling station.

So far, the police are conducting their operations peacefully. Those stationed at the polling stations can be seen engaging in friendly conversations with the voters.

Police vehicles are also moving from one polling station to the other and in villages to strengthen security and deter any threats of violence during the election.

However, a concern has been raised by a monitor where the officers could not participate in both the elections conducted during this month due to deployment in areas where they are not residents.

CONCLUSION.

Despite the involvement of political party bigwigs, the distribution of money by both sites of Kenya Kwanza and Azimio coalition, voter turnout is still low. Interviews with some youths in Kisauni “hii kura haituhusu, baada ya leo wakubwa hawatakumbuka maskini” said some youths. Political candidates are becoming desperate and using their agents to go into homes to woo people to come out and vote for them. KECOSCE election observers continue to traverse the polling stations in the county to update on the election process.

Generally, the voting exercise is running smoothly. However, we expect candidates and supporters to clash just after the closing time and tallying process. This is when it is widely believed electoral malpractices and illegal activities will be heightened including ballot boxes being forcefully introduced at the tallying centers.

The police and all security agencies have proactively responded in all cases and managed to control crowds in an amicable manner. No reported police brutality or human rights violations so far.

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