It’s heartbreaking that ballot boxes and a lorry transporting ballot material to Embu were set on fire ahead of the UDA’s statewide primaries on Thursday, April 14. Some candidates claim that a powerful regional politician is plotting to rig the primaries in favor of her allies.
The lorry was followed from Mbeere South to the Izaak Walton Hotel, a distance of 15 kilometers, where it was robbed and the ballot material was set ablaze. This happened one kilometer from Kangaru Boys’ High School on Wednesday, April 13, around 4:30 p.m. The lorry, on the other hand, was unharmed because the driver was able to accelerate away from the accident.
At least 50 young people were involved in the chaos, according to eyewitnesses. The police, on the other hand, arrived quickly and dispersed the raucous gathering. The value of the material damaged during the brawl is unknown, according to authorities. There were no reported casualties.
The eve of the UDA party primaries in Embu County was marred by ballot material delays and confusion. Several people claiming to be presiding officers and clerks showed up at the Jeremiah Nyagah Technical Institute, the tallying center for Mbeere South Sub-County, to pick up ballot papers. Two factions squabbled over who had the authority to count the ballots.
