Voting in Kitise/Kithuki mini polls in Makueni County is underway with a low voter turnout being witnessed. A spot check by the standard digital has found that across the 31 polling stations it is only at Kitise primary school polling center long queues were witnessed as early as 6:30am. This particular station is located at Kitise market and has about 1029 registered voters which is sub-divided into two streams within the same primary school.
The voting exercise kicked off at around 6am with heavy security presence being witnessed inside and outside various stations. The police presence has been necessitated by recent incidents where Muungano party supporters and those of Wiper party have been engaging in the past one week. The ward has 10,353 registered voters according to IEBC voter register.
The little known countryside ward has pitted Makueni governor Kivutha Kibwana who is supporting Joseph Kioko, a Muungano candidate and Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka who has thrown his weight on Sebastian Muli. Mr. Kioko and Muli are two candidates to watch in the polls.
However, the seat has a total of seven candidates who voted in various stations earlier today. Kioko voted at Mikauni polling station where he remained optimistic of clinching the seat. He noted that if he losses the seat fairly he will accept the outcome.
“I am confident of winning this seat. I have taken rounds to various stations and the exercise is going on smoothly, no anomalies. In this race there will be a winner and many losers and if I loose I will have to accept and if others face a defeat, let the MCA elect be given time and serve the people,” said Kioko.
On the other hand, at Kitise primary school some minutes past 9am, the Wiper candidate Muli casted his vote. “I have seen the exercise is smooth and taking less time for every voter,” said Muli. Angeline Mbithe, a voter, said she was happy with the way the exercise was going on.