A four-wheel-drive car belonging to Malava constituency candidate Seth Panyako was set on fire in fresh violence that broke out in Manyonje, Kakamega County.
The car, a Toyota Prado in the candidate’s convoy, was torched by goons in the Manyonje area on Thursday morning, police said.
No arrest was made even as some locals said this was meant to scare voters in the area seen as a stronghold of the candidate. Police said they are investigating the incident.
Tension remained high in parts of the constituency on Thursday as voting got underway.
Earlier on, at least two people were injured in a clash at a hotel in the area. This happened where DAP-K candidate Panyako was meeting his team. Among those injured was his personal driver, he said.
He added the attack was targeting him. His supporters also caught up with one of the people said to have attempted the attack and beat him up.
In Kabuchai, Bungoma County, some agents said they had been harassed and beaten up by goons as they headed to the polling stations.
The agents said they were injured in the chaos. Police said voting had started well in most places.
Hundreds of police officers had been mobilized and deployed to the places ahead of the polls.
The polls are taking place in 134 polling stations countrywide, where vacancies have arisen following the death of office holders or court decisions nullifying previous results.
The seats up for contest span both parliamentary and ward-level representation, drawing nationwide attention as political parties seek to solidify influence and test voter sentiment ahead of the General Election in 2027.
Several constituencies have attracted keen interest, among them Mbeere North, Ugunja, Malava, Magarini and Kasipul, where voters will elect new Members of Parliament.
In Baringo, the electorate will be seeking to vote in a new senator.
Political pundits posit that these contests could serve as an early indicator of party strength and shifting regional alliances ahead of 2027.
At the county assembly level, by-elections are set for multiple wards across the country. These include Chewani in Tana River, Narok Town in Narok, Tembelio in Uasin Gishu, and Lake Zone and Nana-am in Turkana. Residents of Kisia East, Kabuchai/Chwele, Purko, Ang’ata Nanyokie, Chemundu/Kapng’etuny and Metkei in Elgeyo Marakwet will also be casting their votes.
In the Gusii region, by-elections will run in Nyansiongo, Nyamaiya and Ekerenyo wards in Nyamira County. Urban centres are not exempt, with Mumbuni North in Machakos and Kariobangi North in Nairobi also heading to the polls.
The National Police Service (NPS) headquarters said the exercise had kicked off well in all places.
More police officers were mobilized from places where there are no elections and sent to the 22 polling stations to beef up security.
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