The long awaited General Elections exercise kicked off smoothly in Busia County.
Speaking to KNA at the Busia County Information Office Polling Centre in Teso South Sub-County today, Busia County Election Returning Officer, Lazarus Chebii, said that all the Polling Stations were opened at 6.00 am and the process was moving on smoothly.
“At the moment, I’m at Busia County Information office polling station and people have come early to exercise their democratic rights,” he said.
He urged all voters to turn out in large numbers adding that the process takes approximately three to four minutes.
“So far there are no challenges with the voter identification kits and the voters are being identified biometrically,” he said.
Sella Mumbi (50) a voter at the polling canter had challenges with the finger print but the IEBC officials made several efforts to assist her.
“I arrived at the centre here at quarter to six, but my fingerprints have been tried twice in vain,” she said, expressing confidence that she will not leave the centre before casting her vote.
Moses Okwiri, a voter at the Busia stage Polling Centre thanked the IEBC for organizing the smooth exercise.
Okwiri appreciated the peaceful voting environment, urging other voters to turn out in large numbers and cast their votes.
A spot check by KNA revealed that no business activities in the town with most voters being transported by boda boda operators to various polling centres.
The Centres visited by KNA had party agents, election observers and security officers to ensure that the process was peaceful and transparent.
The County has a total of 416,756 registered voters spread across its seven constituencies namely, Budalangi 46,032, Butula 67,377, Funyula, 54,031, Matayos 67, 708, Nambale 50,545, Teso North 59,795and Teso South with 71,268 registered voters.
By Salome Alwanda
