VOTERS AT POLLING STATION; OMOLU AND SUPPORTERS CHANING; KANU AND KPU OFFICIALS ARGUING; ARMED POLICE; MUNGAI; SIJEYO AND SUPPORTERS; VOTING.




Initials GEP/VS/JF/ES



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Background: THE SMALL OPPOSITION KENYA PEOPLE'S UNION PARTY TODAY (MONDAY) WON AN OVERWHELMING VICTORY IN THE WEEKEND BY-ELECTION IN THE NORTHWESTERN RURAL AREA OF GEM. KPU CANDIDATE, MR. WASONGA SIYEYO, DEFEATED THE GOVERNMENT'S KENYA AFRICAN NATIONAL UNION CANDIDATE MR RADING OMOLU BY 14,193 VOTES TO 1,526.

ARMED RIOT POLICE STOOD GUARD AT THE TEN POLLING STATIONS TO PREVENT CLASHES BETWEEN THE CHANTING SUPPORTERS OF THE RIVAL PARTIES. THE 51 PER CENT POLL, HOWEVER, WAS CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THE EXPECTED 80 PER CENT.

MR WASONGA SIJEYO'S VICTORY GIVES THE KPU EIGHT SEATS IN THE KENYAN ONE-HOUSE PARLIAMENT, WHILE THE GOVERNMENT PARTY HAS 162 SEATS.

THE GEM AREA WHICH LIES ON THE SHORES OF LAKE VICTORIA ABOUT TWO-HUNDRED MILES (320 KMS) FROM NAIROBI HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONGHOLD OF SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION LEADER, MR OGINGA ODINGA. BUT DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN SEVERE RESTRICTIONS WERE PLACED ON KPU RALLIES, AND PARTY LEADERS, INCLUDING MR ODINGA, WERE REFUSED PERMISSION TO TAKE PART IN THE CAMPAIGN. MR SIJEYO HIMSELF WAS THE ONLY MEMBER OF HIS PARTY ALLOWED TO ADDRESS MEETINGS.

KANU MADE A GREAT EFFORT TO HOLD THE SEAT -- SEVERAL GOVERNMENT MINISTERS MADE SPEAKING TOURS OF THE AREA DURING THE CAMPAIGNING, AND THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE, DR NJOROGE MUNGAI MADE A TOUR OF POLLING STATIONS ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION.

THE KANU CANDIDATE, MR RADING OMOLU IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY PRESIDENT KENYATTA HIMSELF. MR OMOLU IS A FORMER BODYGUARD OF MR ODINGA, HE WAS JAILED AND LATER JOINED KANU.

THE BY-ELECTION WAS CAUSED BY THE DEATH OF THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MR CLEMENT ARGWINGS-KODHEK, WHO WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT EARLY THIS YEAR. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE LUO TRIBE, THE PEOPLE OF THE GEM AREA.