Kenyans even queued up early in the morning to vote. However, the voting percentage is falling to around 60%.
Preliminary results of Kenya’s presidential election showed a tight race between the two main candidates vying to replace the outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta from the place.
The main candidates for the presidential election are Raila Odinga77, and William Ruto56. According to the calculations of the private Citizen Television channel, both of them had collected about 1.2 million votes, that is, they both had a little more than 49 percent of the votes.
The winner must get 50 percent plus one vote.
The Electoral Commission (IEBC) asked Kenyans for patience while the results were counted.
– We hope for patience from the Kenyans. We are working to complete the result as soon as possible, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said at a news conference.
Six elections at once
Kenyans, some of whom lined up before dawn to vote, cast ballots Tuesday in six elections that will elect a new president as well as senators, governors, lawmakers, women representatives and about 1,500 county officials.
Despite the early enthusiasm, however, the turnout was clearly lower than in previous years. According to the Election Committee, about 60 percent of registered voters have gone to vote. In 2017, the voting percentage was almost 80.
Tuesday’s election is a major test for east Africa’s biggest economy after two of its last three elections erupted in violence following allegations of vote-rigging. In previous elections in 2007 and 2017, several people died as a result of violence. This year’s elections have been peaceful so far.