Approximately 495 election officials failed to show up at their workstations for the repeat presidential election after allegedly receiving threats on their lives.
The officials who were expected to oversee the election in Nyando constituency, Kisumu County, skipped work creating a crisis where election failed to kick off in most parts of the region.
Returning Officer Carol Okky, while speaking to the Nation, stated that they had trained 497 clerks to oversee the repeat election in Nyando constituency but only two officials turned up.
[caption caption="Situation In Kisumu County"]
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"We trained a number of poll officials but most of them disappeared for fear of their lives," she stated.
Reports indicate that a number of Presiding officers and their deputies in the constituency are yet to leave the tallying centre as they are afraid of being attacked by the residents.
[caption caption="Heavy police presence at a polling station in Kisumu County"]
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In Homa Bay County, a similar situation was witnessed with a huge number of election officials boycotting the poll due to fear of victimization.
The County Returning Officer Mr Michael Kosgey, while addressing the media explained that the election had failed to kick off as expected since officials failed to show up at their duty stations.
"The poll isn't taking place because the officials we hired to oversee it have given it a wide berth in fear of their lives," Kosgey stated.
Meanwhile, youth in the county lit bonfires and engaged police in running battles after they blocked the public from accessing polling stations.
Police, however, managed to restore some calm after lobbying tear gas cannisters at them.
