President Kibaki votes in referendum

The president cast his vote at Munaini Primary school in his Othaya constituency shortly after 11:00 am Addressing wananchi after voting, President Kibaki urged Kenyans to embrace peace during and after the referendum "Let's vote peacefully and get back to our nation building duties. We should also ensure that peace is maintained at all times," he said. The President at the same time wished all Kenyans well as they exercise their democratic right during this period of the referendum. A large voter turnout was reported at Mululu primary School, Sabatia Constituency in Western Kenya where the local MP who is also the deputy prime minister Musalia Mudavadi cast his referendum vote. Mr. Mudavadi accompanied by his wife, Tessy and mother, Hanna voted at 9am. According to the presiding officer, Fredrick Isaji, over 50 per cent of registered voters had cast their votes by 12 o'clock. In Vihiga Constituency, some people complained that their names were missing from the main register and they could not, subsequently, vote. But the returning officer, Richard Onyango urged those affected to check for their names in the white book which, he said was used as a back up. The book, he said, was in polling stations with the presiding officers. National Assembly Speaker, Kenneth Marende, who was earlier reported to have voted electronically from Nairobi, finally appeared at Mumboha polling station and cast his vote at 11.50am. Area MP, Yusuf Chanzu, and his family voted at Mazigulu primary school while the chairman of Independent Boundary Review Commission, Andrew Ligale cast his vote at Mahanga Primary school at 8am. Meanwhile internal security minister Prof George Saitoti assured Kenyans that security has been beefed across the country to ensure Kenyans enjoyed their democratic rights to vote in the referendum for the proposed constitution peacefully. Prof Saitoti was speaking at Ngong township school in Kajiado North constituency where he cast his vote. Meanwhile it was joy for 156 inmates at the biggest penal institution in the country Naivasha G.K prison when they made history by participating in the referendum. The inmates who included fifty three who are serving life sentences expressed their happiness after they were allowed to vote. Dressed in their white stripped prison attire and open sandals, the inmates started voting at around 8am in the smooth exercise. However IIEC officials admitted that the biggest challenge facing the voting inmates was illiteracy and several of them had to be assisted by their fellow inmates to vote. "We have read and understood the proposed draft and we feel great for been given a chance to decide on how we shall be governed," the inmates said. In Naivasha town, long queues were witnessed at the various polling stations. Security was intensified and police patrols were evident a day after some families were reported to be fleeing as the 136,900 voters cast their votes in the 257 polling stations in the constituency. Naivasha area was one of the most affected by the post election violence of 2008 and the government has taken precautionary measures to ensure such incidents do not recur.