Kenyans awaited the results of the previous day’s general elections on Wednesday, which were marked by a rise in abstentions. The battle between veteran Raila Odinga and outgoing Deputy President William Ruto promises to be tight.
Amid disillusionment with the political class and the rising cost of living, some 65% of the 22.1 million voters went to the polls to elect a president, members of parliament and locally elected officials. A sharp drop from the 78% voter turnout in the previous elections in 2017.
“Compared to the past, people don’t come (to vote) because of false promises,” lamented AFP Anthony Kemboi, a 24-year-old student living in Eldoret (West).
Shoulder to shoulder
According to the television’s first ratings, Raila Odinga, 77, the historic leader of the opposition now backed by power, and William Ruto, 55, a challenger, are neck and neck. The other two contenders should not get more than a few percent.
If neither of the two favorites wins more than 50% of the vote, Kenya will face a second round of presidential elections for the first time.
MM Odinga and Ruto both promised to ratify the results during the campaign. But on Wednesday, the country feared it would once again be mired in a series of post-election scandals, where every poll since 2002 has been disputed in what is considered a hotbed of democracy in East Africa.
The August 2017 presidential election was invalidated by the courts for “irregularities” and later rescheduled, damaging the IEBC’s reputation and prolonging a process marked by dozens of deaths in police repression.
After all, in 2007-2008, Mr. The contestation of Odinga’s decisions led to inter-communal clashes that killed more than 1,100 people.
Pressure
Pressure is mounting for the Election Commission to announce the results by August 16. Its agents work hard to analyze millions of votes and eliminate fears of fraud.
“We are doing everything we can to complete the process as soon as possible,” IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said on Wednesday.
In two constituencies where polling stations could not be opened on time on Tuesday, particularly due to technical glitches, the wait will continue as some Kenyans were still casting their ballots.
After manual counting at the polling station, the results are sent electronically to the constituency level to be collated and then reach the final result at the national level.
Minutes drawn at each polling station shall also be authenticated after transmission in photographic form.
“This is not a quick process,” commented Professor Eldoret Gabriel Lynch of the University of Warwick (Great Britain). Documents must be “processed, numbered, cross-checked” in Nairobi, “which takes at least a few days”.
“No change”
An economic heavyweight of 50 million people, Kenya has been hit hard by the effects of the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine and an unprecedented drought. The country is currently experiencing a rise in the cost of living.
MM’s campaign promises. Odinga and Ruto – two powerful and wealthy businessmen – focused on purchasing power and the fight against corruption, not necessarily convincing the people, a third of whom live in poverty.
“I didn’t vote because I don’t care because it’s the same old people telling the same old stories,” said Caroline Mwangi, 31, a restaurant worker from Nairobi.
Both Odinga and Ruto have promised a bright economic future, especially for the youth, who represent three-quarters of the population under the age of 34 but are particularly affected by unemployment.
In Kisumu, Eldoret, as in the capital, life had not yet resumed its normal course, with shops closed and the streets somewhat sleepy. Police presence was careful.
“Usually the political situation is neutral so there is less tension,” said Benson Zuma, a 38-year-old social worker from Eldoret. “I know there will be peace.”
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
“Avid gamer. Social media geek. Proud troublemaker. Thinker. Travel fan. Problem solver.”