A journalist with the Star Newspaper based in Homa Bay Town in Western Kenya was beaten up by paramilitary security personnel as he covered a confrontation between two rival candidates on Saturday March 2, two days ahead of Kenya's General Elections on Monday March 4, 2013.

Kenya’s General Elections under a new Constitution kicked off today March 4, 2013 with a large voters turn - out from dawn to cast their votes for a record six candidates.

The candidates being voted for include the president, governors to head 47 counties, 47 senators and a similar number of women representatives, 290 Members of the National Assembly and more than 1400 Ward Assembly Representatives across the country.

The atmosphere of excitement among Kenyans was however jolted following an attack and killing on Saturday night of at least 6 security officers in the Coast Region by suspected members of the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC). Other reports indicate the number over ten security officers may have been killed during the night attacks.

 A senior Tanzanian TV journalist Daudi Mwangosi was on Sunday September 2, 2012 killed as police dispersed a crowd of opposition supporters attending a rally at Nyololo Village in the Iringa Region in the Central part of the Country.