The kibra by- election was historical in the sense that the campaigns were peaceful with no major incidences to report apart from the attack on Musalia Mudavadi’s convoy. Many people have given it a node of satisfaction including the head of state at Sagana lodge yesterday. The prevalence of peace was majorly during campaign period. Parties campaigned freely with no reason to fear as they traversed the extensive slum in Nairobi. For the first time the residents enjoyed handouts from tangatanga wing of jubilee party as it fronted Macdonald Mariga to succeed the late Ken Okoth. Even at some point rallies were being held parallel by the rival groups and just ended peacefully.
The ODM party had to employ “Linda kura” groups to protect the electorate from any kind of financial manipulation. The leadership of the party was scared with the money bag Jubilee’s tangatanga group that could have otherwise changed the matrix of elections by dishing money on the Election Day. Early in the morning on the Election Day, Mp for Rarieda Dr. Otiende Omollo announced that the residents will conduct citizen’s arrest to any individual who will have violated the electoral laws. That wasn’t going to be easy for Jubilee candidate especially the politicians who had been positioned as agents and mobilizers to dish out cash. They thought the appetite for cash could not provoke the youth to chase them away but that didn’t happen at all.
The notable characters suffered the wrath from the ODM were MP Oscar Sudi, who was forced to jump over fence to avoid beating. Also the area MCA for Woodley ward was not spared when it was noted that he was bribing voters. The most publicized scenario is the case of former kakamega senator Dr. Bonny Khalwale. The politician, who encountered his opponent with intention of stoning him, was forced to counter react with the same measure. He was pictured carrying stones with issue going viral on both the mainstream media and more so the social media.
At a different venue where the MP for Kimilili constituency Mr. Didmus Barasa was the agent, didn’t escape the shame at all. The presence of Dagoretti south MP Mr. Simba Rati wasn’t good news for the Kimilili legislator. The brigade that had accompanied Arati made his rival to seek refuge from the security officers after being slapped and the cap taken away by men who are yet to be identified.
Surprisingly, the mainstream media gave a blind eye to the most serious scene that saw an MP hospitalized in Nairobi hospital for a couple of days. The Mp for Malava constituency Mr. Moses Malulu Injendi was roughed up by the youth and beaten up basing on the allegations of voter bribery. The kakamega politician collapsed and was hurriedly rushed to Nairobi hospital where recuperated for some days before being discharged. His condition has so far improved but still using the neck brace after his neck was somehow twisted. He was the most affected and injured during the Kibra by-election.
It’s not clear whether the victims will seek legal intervention or not given that if the allegations of voter bribery are true, seemingly they might choose to give it a rest. Generally the campaign in Kibra constituency which saw Imram Okoth win were peaceful safe for the election day.
