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Migori senate by-election kicks off

Migori

By RUTH MBULA
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Migori residents woke up as early as 5am to vote in the senatorial by-election occasioned by the death of Ben Oluoch Okello in June this year.
Voting started at 6am and some of the electorates Nation interviewed expressed their joy of having exercised their democratic right in a peaceful environment.
“I am happy I have voted. All is well and we shall have our preferred senator,” said an elderly woman, Ms Grace Ocholla.
Security has been beefed in an outside the polling centres with officers sending away idlers.
An elderly woman casts her vote at Migori
An elderly woman casts her vote at Migori Primary School polling station on Monday, October 8, 2018 as six candidates battle it out to fill senate seat that fell vacant after death of Ben Okello. PHOTO | RUTH MBULA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Each of the 826 polling stations in the county is being manned by at least two police officers.
Nyanza Regional police boss Leonard Katana said his officers will make sure order and peace is maintained during the by-election.
“We have mapped out the hotspots and our deployment in those areas will be different," he said.
Some of the officers have been brought in from the neighbouring counties to assist in security surveillance.
Migori has been notorious for violence during campaigns and elections although minimal fracas was reported in this mini poll campaigns.
IEBC commissioner, Prof Abdi Guliye said all had kicked off smoothly and they hope that the exercise will end well.
The six candidates that are battling it out are Mr Ochillo Ayacko (Orange Democratic Movement), Mr Eddy Oketh (Federal Party of Kenya), Mr Peter Jobando (Green Congress Party), Mr Solomon Hodo Rugaria (People's Democratic Party), Mr Samwel Otieno (independent) and mr Dickson Ogolla (independent).
The Migori senate race is seen as a two-horse race between Mr Ayacko and Mr Oketch.
Migori County has about 388,000 registered voters.

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