Chebukati Says 6.5m Voters Turned Out to Vote in Repeat Poll

FRIDAY OCTOBER 27 2017
Kenya Daily Nation   

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati. He has said that the latest actual figures from 267 constituencies show 6,553,858 Kenyans turned out to vote in the repeat presidential poll. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary
Mr Chebukati said that 35,564 polling stations opened for voting Thursday morning.
He also said that 5,319 polling stations did not send an opening message.
This meant that either no voting took place or the stations had no access to network.

By MARTIN KINYANJUI

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has said in a tweet that the latest actual figures from 267 constituencies show 6,553,858 Kenyans turned out to vote in the repeat presidential poll.

Mr Chebukati also posted on his Twitter handle that a comprehensive update on the elections results would be given Friday morning as the commission continues to receive more data.

Earlier in a press briefing at the Bomas of Kenya, the IEBC national tallying centre, Mr Chebukati said that 35,564 polling stations opened for voting Thursday morning, representing 87 percent of all the 40,883 polling centres in the country.

OPENING MESSAGE

Mr Chebukati also said that 5,319 polling stations did not send an opening message, indicating that either no voting took place or they had no access to network.

At the same time, Mr Chebukati said that voter turnout was estimated at 48 percent by 5pm Thursday.

In the four counties of Kisumu, Migori, Homa Bay and Siaya where voting was put off until Saturday due to protests staged by Nasa supporters, Mr Chebukati said that the commission will make decision on what happens next should challenges experienced in those areas still persist.

There were concerns that a number of residents who are Seventh-day Adventists may not come out to vote as Saturday is their day of rest.

But Mr Chebukati said that IEBC cannot keep extending voting after Saturday for areas that did not vote.