Mombasa voters are getting ready for the delayed gubernatorial election slated for Monday 29, 2022.
The government has also declared Monday, August 29 a national holiday in areas where elections are set to be held.
The election for the governorship post in Mombasa and Kakamega counties was suspended on August 8, 2022 a day before the general election by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) over ballot paper mix-up.
Also in the list are parliamentary elections in Kitui Rural, Kacheliba and Pokot South constituencies — both in West Pokot County — and Rongai Constituency in Nakuru County.
Voting for MCAs in Nyaki West ward (North Imenti Constituency in Meru County) and Kwa Njenga (Embakasi South in Nairobi County) had also been simultaneously suspended.
The elections in the eight areas had been postponed by the IEBC following a mishap in the printing of ballot papers.
Mombasa County IEBC Elections Manager Swalha Ibrahim said they are ready for the election which has attracted six gubernatorial candidates.
Ms. Ibrahim who is also the County’s Returning Officer says the IEBC is set for a hitch-free governorship election.
“As far as IEBC is concerned we are good to go on August 29,” she said, adding that the commission was prepared to deliver a free, fair and credible election.
She urged the electorate to come out in large numbers and participate as every arrangement has been made to ensure peaceful elections.
The Electoral body has cleared eight candidates to contest for the Governor position to replace Hassan Joho who has served for two terms as spelt out in the 2010 constitution.
Immediate former Mvita Member of Parliament Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir (ODM) and former Senator Hassan Omar Sarai (UDA) are considered front runners in the governor race.
Other candidates include current Mombasa Deputy Governor William Kingi (PAA), Daniel Munga Kitsao (Independent), Hezron Awiti (VDP), Said Abdalla (Usawa Kwa Wote), Shafii Makazi (UPIA) and Antony Chitavi (UDP).
In the count down to the mini-poll a host of MPs-elect and other leaders from various rival political formations have been flocking to the coastal city to drum up support for their preferred candidates.
Mombasa County has a total of 641,913 registered voters spread across six constituencies of Mvita, Likoni, Nyali, Kisauni, Changamwe and Jomvu and 30 electoral wards.
There are 1,041 polling centers in the county with an additional four prisons that will undertake the presidential vote only.
By Mohamed Hassan
