There was a commotion in Kibra constituency after a man was manhandled for allegedly bribing voters in the ongoing by-election.
In the video that has surfaced online, the residents are reported to have attempted to lynch the man before the police came to his rescue.
He was whisked away by a contingent of policemen deployed in the area and is currently being interrogated.
Commotion arose after claims that an individual attempted to bribe voters. Angry residents wanted to lynch him but the police saved him and is under custody. #DayBreak#KibraVotes pic.twitter.com/4v3xWerfRN
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) November 7, 2019
Nairobi police boss Philip Ndolo confirmed that police have arrested two people in connection to voter bribery claims raised by residents.
Meanwhile, the exercise has largely been peaceful in many polling stations in the constituency.
Read: Is Kalonzo Secretly Drumming Up Support For Mariga After Raila Raided Kamba Turf?
The polls opened at 6 AM on Thursday morning.
The hotly contested seat has attracted 24 candidates.
Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party’s Imran Okoth and Jubilee’s McDonald Mariga are touted to be the front runners in the race.
Read Also: Governors Anne Waiguru, Kivuta Kibwana Join Raila In Kibra To Drum Up Support For Imran Okoth
The by-election has been termed as a duel between Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga with both leaders fighting to win the election ahead of the 2022 presidential succession politics.
Kibra has been Raila’s political bedrock for decades now and pundits believe a loss would be a blow to his 2022 Presidential bid and political image.
Other candidates in the race are Amani National Congress’ Eliud Owala, Ford Kenya’s Eng. Khamisi Butichi and several independent candidates eyeing the seat.
The seat fell vacant following the demise Imran’s brother, Ken Okoth, who succumbed to colorectal cancer in July.
Read Also: DP Ruto’s Wife Rachael Prays For Mariga Ahead Of Kibra Face-off [Photos]
Some of the people who have already voted include Ken Okoth’s widow Monica and Raila’s daughter Winnie Odinga.
Imran is expected to vote at around 10 AM.
His arch-rival, Mariga, won’t vote as he is not a registered voter in Kibra.
The constituency has five wards – Makina, Laini Saba, Sarang’ombe, Woodley/Kenyatta Golf Course and Lindi with 118,658 votes.
Laini Saba 17,455 voters, Lindi 16,688, Makina 25,695, Woodley/ Kenyatta Golf Course 28,066 and Sarang’ombe 30,754.
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