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Former MP Stabbed in New Poll Violence
The worst incident reported was near Kisii Town where one successful candidate, the former Bonchari MP Zepedeo John Opore, was stabbed in the head and arm by a rival group who chased him in two cars.
Also, scores of people were injured in Tigania East constituency in Meru North, where supporters of the National Rainbow Coalition engaged riot police in a running battle after the Commission cleared two candidates who had failed to be nominated.
Elsewhere confusion mounted after rival candidates were each given valid nomination papers for the same seats.
They played cat-and-mouse games with each other in an attempt to secure legal nomination by being first to hand in their papers to the Electoral Commission's returning officers.
The law forbids the Commission to accept nomination papers from a member of any party whose candidate has already handed in papers and been declared validly nominated.
There was also drama as some candidates shuffled papers to try to ensure they had the necessary number of 12 to 20 supporters required by law.
Former Starehe MP Maina Kamanda beat his rival Mr Jimnah Mbaru by arriving earlier that him to present papers for the National Rainbow Coalition. Mr Mbaru's papers were rejected by electoral officials one hour later.
But the electoral officials' rulings appeared inconsistent and first-come-first-served did not always win the day. Both Mr Michael Githaiga and Mr Francis Kirubi of Ford People, who went to present their papers for the same seat, were sent away because they held similar nomination certificates.
In Mombasa former mayor Najib Balala handed in his nomination papers for Narc ahead of rival Mr Mohamed Bamahriz, who was sent away.
But in Rangwe, two Narc hopefuls - former MP Shem Ochuodho and former Kenya Bureau of Standards managing director Philip Okundi clashed right at the ECK nomination desk in Homa Bay.
Both politicians carried letters from party headquarters signifying that they had been validly cleared by the party.
Returning officer Frederick Ayienda suspended business for six hours as he consulted with the Commission and Narc headquarters in Nairobi before finally accepting Mr Okundi as the legitimate candidate.
Dr Ochuodho was escorted from the venue between two columns of police, fearing he could be attacked by rowdy Narc youths.
Asked to comment, Dr Ochuodho said: "I am not in a position to talk to you right now, I will get in touch with you later."
A former nominated MP, Mrs Catherine Nyamato, was turned away when she arrived at 11.30am to present Narc papers for West Mugirango. Her rival, Mr Jeremiah Okora, had presented his papers at 8am and been validly nominated.
There was panic in Ngong Town where the nomination of former vice president George Saitoti twice hit a hitch.
First he could not find his voter's card when he arrived at the Ngong District Officer's office. It turned up in his briefcase after a 25-minute search.
Then returning officer Joseph Mibei noticed that his list of supporters did not have station codes. A visibly agitated Prof Saitoti had to leave the office to mobilise his allies to reach the people whose codes were missing.
The problem was sorted after about two hours and Prof Saitoti was eventually cleared at 1.15pm, after which he left the hall mopping his forehead to the jubilation of a huge crowd of supporters gathered outside.
In Kisii Former MP Zepedeo Opore, who was stabbed four times in the head and on his right arm, was taken to a private hospital with blood oozing from his head.
A vehicle belonging to his colleague Mr Jimmy Angwenyi in which they were both travelling had its rear windscreen shattered by a group of 15 attackers.
They ambushed the two former MPs as they headed towards Sotik to receive their Ford People nomination certificates.
The two were approaching Bobaracho when the gang, which had chased them from Kisii Town, blocked their car and, led by a woman, seized Mr Opore. She was joined by other attackers who dragged him out of the car and stabbed him with Somali swords.
Mr Angwenyi grabbed one of the gang and wrestled him to the ground but he struggled free, as the car containing the injured Mr Opore accelerated to safety.
Mr Opore's attackers again gave chase but escaped death narrowly when one of their cars crashed and rolled several times as it approached Bobaracho at high speed.
The attackers abandoned their smashed car and jumped into two other vehicles to escape before police arrived.
Three former MPs - Mr Angwenyi, Mr Omingo Magara and Mr Henry Obwocha - reported the attack at Kisii police station.
Mr Opore won the Bonchari nomination for Ford People with 10,500 votes, while Mr John Mochama gained 479 votes.
In Tigania East Narc supporters fought a running battle with riot police after protesting at the clearance of two candidates on their party ticket by the Electoral Commission.
Carrying twigs and clubs they blocked the Maua-Meru road demanding an explanation from the ECK as to why former assistant education minister Mathews Adams Karauri was cleared at 12.30pm by returning officer Abdi Kadir Hassan when he had lost during the Narc nominations.
The supporters said it was illegal to clear another candidate after Moi University lecturer Peter Gatiirau, who won the nomination poll, was cleared at 9.30am.
As Mr Karauri was leaving at around 1pm he was accosted by demonstrators who threatened to beat him but he sped off towards Meru Town after being escorted to his car by armed police, who dispersed the rowdy crowd.
During the Narc nominations, Mr Gatiirau got 4,775 votes, Mr Karauri 3,196, Mr Romanu Kobia 792, Mr Kirianki M'Imanyara 725, and Mr Lacia Gichusuku 326.
Mr Gatiirau showed the Press a letter signed by Narc national election board chairman Mr Wanjala Welime terming Mr Karauri's nomination null and void. The letter, dated November 24, asked the ECK not to nominate any candidate other than Mr Gatiirau whose certificate is No 379.
Other candidates who presented their papers at Tigania East were Mr Larama Kamunde (SDP) and Mr Mpuuru Abuurui (Kanu), while in Tigania West Dr Elemi Mwiria (Narc) presented his papers at Uhuru Stadium.
In Ntonyiri Mr Maoka Maore Kanu and Mr M'Mthiaru Ntoitha (Narc) presented their papers at Laare Social Hall while Mr Jackson Kalweo presented his papers at Maua Youth Polytechnic.
Chaos broke out in Budalangi when NARC nominee Raphael Wanjala arrived at the ECK office to present his nomination papers but found that his opponent had already been accepted.
Mr Peter Onalo, who was beaten by Mr Wanjala at the nominations, had reached the Electoral Commission officials at Budalangi DO's camp early in the morning.
When the news was broken to Mr Wanjala, who was the area's MP, his supporters attacked the returning officer, Mr Jachim Ludeki, and roughed him up.
They also tore up election documents, including registers and other material.
