[ODM returning officer Stephen Odhiambo issuing Abdirizak Ismail nomination certificate after he won Ismail was beaten by rivals supporters.](the-star.co.ke)Hell broke loose during a repeat of Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) nominations for Galbet ward, Garissa County, on Wednesday after one of the aspirants were roughed up and beaten by a section of his rival’s supporters.
Abdirizak Ismail, an aspirant, had a rough day when he was attacked by the rival’s group following a disagreement over the time to close the polling station.
The nominations’ repeat came after court in Nairobi nullified the results of exercise following a complaint by Ibrahim Ali.
Ali sought for legal assistant in the grounds that the exercise, which saw Ismail was issued with a certificate by IEBC returning officer Dulacha Boru, was marred by massive election malpractices.
Things went out of control at 6pm at KEFRI polling station after Ali insisted that his supporters must be given an opportunity to take part in the nominations although Stephen Odhiambo, returning officer, had ordered that all polling stations must be closed at 5.30pm.
A section of supporters backing the candidature of Ismail alerted him and he stormed the polling station after a few minutes.
Ismail backed the directive of the returning officer to have the station closed by 5: 30 pm as stated early, which did not go well with his rivals. Supporters of Ali turned hostiles and descended on Ismail beating and injuring him seriously.
Officers at the station informed police who quickly came to save the situation. Ismail condemned the incident terming it barbaric and unacceptable in the modern Kenya.
“My competitor went out and came back with goons and mercilessly beat up my supporters and myself. It’s by the grace of God that I managed to escape,” he said, from his hospital bed. Efforts to reach Ali proved futile.