Low Turnout, Memes, KIEMS Kits: Highlights Of August 9 Elections

Five years since the controversy that forced Kenyans to vote twice in the 2017 general elections, the Tuesday, August 9, 2022, general elections took place with several eventualities quite a number would like to forget and others remember.

Much of the conversation was surrounding the Kenya Integrated Election Management System (KIEMS) kits before even the polls began and the issue of the KIEMS kits' functionality was brought to the limelight again.

Early To Vote

Azimio la Umoja presidential running mate Martha Karua was the first major candidate to arrive at the polling station at Mugumo Primary School in Gichugu Constituency to cast her vote.

She is vying for the deputy running mate position in the Azimio la Umoja coalition, with her boss, Raila Odinga, making his fifth attempt at securing the State House seat.

Martha Karua casting her vote on August 9, 2022. /TWITTER

"I was redirected to another station where my name was found. I have voted and you can see the ink. Please get out and vote. It is our day today to determine the direction this country takes," she said after casting her vote.

15 minutes after her arrival, polling stations countrywide open officially and candidates moved in to cast their votes for candidates in the categories of President, Governor, Senator, Woman Representative, Member of the National Assembly and Member of the County Assembly. 

Deputy President William Ruto, the Kenya Kwanza candidate, cast his vote five minutes after the opening time at Kosachei Primary School polling Station, Sugoi alongside his wife, Mama Rachel Ruto. 

"I feel very good that after very many months of campaigning and selling our agenda and manifesto, it is D-day and we have come to vote with my wife and neighbours. 

"As you have seen, everyone here wants a peaceful process. We even had a spontaneous prayer. I ask all voters to do these exercises peacefully and deliberately so that we can choose the men and women to take this country to the next level. It is upon all of us to respect the choices of the people of Kenya as will be done today in every part of the Republic of Kenya," he addressed.

Kenya Kwanza Running mate Rigathi Gachagua and his wife Dorcas Wanjiku arrived at a polling station in Mathira Constituency to cast his ballot one hour later, with Agano party presidential candidate, David Mwaure Waihiga and his running mate, Ruth Mutua, following suit.

"I voted and I came at around 7:15 a.m. because some of the colleagues asked me to delay as they were still setting up systems. I am happy to have exercised my right to vote. I remind Kenyans that this is not just a constitutional right but it is also a sacred right. I expect to win. If I lose I will concede." 

Dramatic Stunts

What's a general election without its fair share of humour? Since the 'Githeri Man' trend in the 2017 polls, when Martin Kamotho lined up to vote armed with maize and beans meal (Githeri), daring Kenyans have been pulling stunts of their own.

In Uasin Gishu county, a man's live interview with Citizen TV's reporter Chemutai Goin would ignite a flurry of bizarre moments that have since gone viral, especially after the man appeared to freeze like a deer in headlights when Goin posed to him any concerns on the electoral process.

"Can you kindly tell us your concerns over the election given that there were requests to postpone the polls over cases of insecurity? As a voter who is already in the queue to cast your vote, what is your opinion?" Goin posed.

There's already a contender for meme of the day!

????: @citizentvkenya #KenyaDecides2022 pic.twitter.com/98Cafullb6 — Viral Tea Kenya (@ViralTeaKe) August 9, 2022

"Kulingana na mimi sina maoni. Sina maoni kabisa (I do not have any response worth offering. I really do not have anything to say)," he responded, sending the journalist and the crowd into laughter.

Two subsequent stunts of similar nature went head to head for the whole day. One man's show of bravery by showing up to the queue wrapped in a towel was quickly overshadowed by a man who showed up at the Kisumu Central polling station with a towel over his waist, a toothbrush in his mouth and was bare-chested like he had just come out to exercise his civic duty and head back to the shower.

According to the man, he was in the bathroom when his friend called him, asking him to go to vote. He figured dressing up would be a waste of time.

Another stunt captured a man eating a loaf of bread as he waited for his chance to vote. Talk about getting up early and rushing to cast your vote while carrying breakfast with you.

Towel man and mkate man casting their vote on August 9, 2022. /VIRALTEAKE

Viral comedian Arap Marindich also showed up at a polling station with his 'rally driver' gear and a dusty face as seen in his memes. Gospel singer Ringtone Apoko – in his usual character of pulling dramatic stunts- walked into Milimani Primary School polling centre with a bible to read as he waited to cast his vote.

KIEMS Kits Failing

The bone of contention started when reports of KIEMS kits failing in multiple polling stations across the country created uncertainty over the voter registration process, given that the Court of Appeal had just given the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) a lifeline by overturning a High Court ruling on the use of the manual register during the Tuesday, August 9 poll, pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, August 9, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera noted that the regions had experienced a malfunction of KIEMS kits and they had approved the use of the manual voters register in select areas of Makueni and Kakamega counties.

She revealed that there were 84 polling stations in the Kibwezi constituency and 54 polling stations in Malava, Matungu, Mumias East and Mumias West constituencies that were affected by the KIEMS kits' malfunction.

“Our ICT officers are on the ground, and when they are called upon in the polling station, they ascertain its failure of the kit and not any other failure. In this case, it has been ascertained as the commissioners have written emails and therefore have been given the leeway to use manual register,” she noted.

“What we have received is 200 failures of KIEMS kit of 46,229. It’s not widespread; technology does break down, and when they do, we have a mechanism to rectify it. That’s normal, and there is nothing ideal out of it,” Commissioner Justus Nyangaya weighed in.

The failures had affected top candidates such as Rigathi Gachagua and Nairobi Woman Representative, Esther Passaris as well as Roots party Presidential candidate, George Wajackoyah, who was not too pleased with how IEBC handled the failure.

“I am a disappointed man because all my competitors have voted; I am told Raila voted, Mwaure has already voted. I just spoke with him to congratulate him, and Ruto has voted. So why only me? Why Kakamega County? Why didn't they test the kits?” Wajackoyah posed.