A heavily pregnant Paulina Chemanang was feeling fine as she left to vote early at a polling station in remote West Pokot country, she told local radio Capital FM.

“I had no labour pains, and they just came as soon as I arrived here. I was not feeling anything since yesterday,” she said.

Shortly after she arrived, she went into labour, and, with the assistance of bystanders, gave birth to a baby girl while still at the polling station.

After a trip to a local health clinic, she returned and cast her ballot.
“Now I am happy, because I have given birth and I have voted,” she told the radio station. “Having given birth at a polling station is a blessing to me and I thank God.”

Kenyans are voting in six elections, including a too-close-to-call race between President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second term, and longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga.

Balloting at the 41,000 polling stations across the country has been relatively calm, though there have been delays in some areas due to equipment failure and rain.

Chemanang’s Pokot ethnic group often name their children according to events or seasons, and she said she had named her daughter Chepkura, which refers to the elections in Swahili.

AFP
A man collapsed and died after casting his vote at Lela Primary School polling station in Kisumu County.

The man, identified as Patrick Atindo was taken to Ahero Sub-County Hospital on Tuesday morning after complaining of chest pains.

His son, Silvanus Ouma, told Nation.co.ke that his father woke up 5am in the morning very energetic to participate in the General Election.

“He woke up in good health and went to Lela where he voted. He collapsed as he was going to the shade to take a rest,” said Mr Ouma.

Mr Ouma said medical attendants at Ahero carried a series of tests on the victim but could not identify what he suffered from.

“As were waiting for the results outside we got the news that our father was no more,” he said.
Mary Atinda, the man’s wife, said that she had accompanied her husband to the polling station to vote.

“We were in different polling rooms. I finished earlier and left him in line waiting to vote, only to be called later and told that he had collapsed,” said Mrs Atinda.

DAILY NATION