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By Dickens Olewe
BBC News, Nairobi
Image source, AFP
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) is just behind Deputy President William Ruto in the count
There's growing anticipation that the much-awaited results of last week's Kenya presidential election will be known in the coming hours.
The results of more than three-quarters of the 290 constituencies have been verified and published.
Deputy President William Ruto has a slight lead over ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga - 51% against 48%, according to local media.
According to Kenyan law, the results must be announced by 16 August.
On Sunday, both Mr Odinga and Mr Ruto urged anxious Kenyans to be patient as they wait for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to determine which of them would be the country's fifth president.
There have also been calls for peace from several leaders and bodies including the Catholic church which asked for "patience and civility" and urged the main candidates to show "restraint and statesmanship".
Media organisations have been releasing provisional tallies using official data from the 46,000 polling stations. They also show a tight race. About 14 million votes were cast - a turnout of 65%.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
Kenya presidential results 2022
In order to win in the first round, a candidate must get 50% plus one of the cast vote and at least 25% of the votes in 24 out of 47 counties.
Last updated: 08/14/2022, 21:09:20 local time (GMT+3)
Provisional results from IEBC
|
William Ruto |
50.9% 6,902,417 |
| William Ruto | 6,902,417 |
| Kenya Kwanza Alliance | |
| Votes: | 6,902,417 |
| At least 25% of county votes | 36/47 |
|
Raila Odinga |
48.5% 6,578,011 |
| Raila Odinga | 6,578,011 |
| Azimio la Umoja coalition | |
| Votes: | 6,578,011 |
| At least 25% of county votes | 37/47 |
|
George Wajackoyah |
0.4% 59,407 |
| George Wajackoyah | 59,407 |
| Roots Party | |
| Votes: | 59,407 |
| At least 25% of county votes | 0/47 |
|
David Mwaure |
0.2% 31,328 |
| David Mwaure | 31,328 |
| Agano Party | |
| Votes: | 31,328 |
| At least 25% of county votes | 0/47 |
|
Other Candidates |
0.6% 90,735 |
| Other Candidates | 90,735 |
IEBC officials have been busy verifying results at the Bomas cultural centre, in the capital, Nairobi, which is being used as the main tallying centre.
They are comparing photographs of result forms from the polling stations to physical forms that officials have brought to the centre to ensure they match.
This painstaking effort has seen the head of the electoral body, Wafula Chebukati, accuse agents from the main parties, who are witnessing the process, of turning a straightforward exercise into a "forensic" one.
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,Poll officials have been comparing paper and electronic results forms to see if they match
On Saturday night, Mr Odinga's supporters entered a restricted area and accosted electoral officials, accusing them of tampering with the vote.
His chief campaign manager was able to get to the lectern used by top electoral commission officials, where he criticised the result verification process.
"I want to announce to the nation that Bomas of Kenya is a scene of crime," said Saitabao Ole Kanchory, before the microphone was switched off and he was led away.
Mr Ruto's supporters accused their opponents of interfering with the tallying process.
Security has since been heightened inside the venue and access to the compound also restricted.
How are Kenyans feeling?
There is a sense of anxiety in the country with many people who spoke to the BBC saying they want the announcement to be made quickly because the tense atmosphere had stalled economic activities in the country. Schools also remain closed.
Disputed elections in the past have led to violence or the whole process election being cancelled.
Following the 2007 vote, at least 1,200 people were killed and 600,000 fled their homes following claims of a stolen election.
In 2017, huge logistical errors led the Supreme Court to annul the result and order the presidential poll to be re-run.
Allegations of election rigging are as old as the country. It was part of politics even before multiparty elections were re-introduced in the 1990s, but the push for free and fair elections has never faltered.
After the violence that followed the 2007 election, political parties and activists argued for the use of technology instead of physical registers, which could be easily manipulated, to verify voters.
This year's election is the third time technology has been used but it has yet to deliver an election that has not been challenged in the courts.
Officials are under pressure to get things right this time.
"We are going to make it very difficult in this election for people to go to court to challenge the results that we have, because we are so transparent that even if they want to go to court, they would be very embarrassed to do so," one of the electoral commissioners, Justus Nyangaya, told the BBC.
Kenya's presidential vote: What scenarios to expect
When will we know the result?
Based on the huge number of verified votes from the constituencies it's hoped that the electoral commission will clear the remaining 50 constituencies before the end of Monday. If they don't then legally the announcement has to be made before 1700 local time (1400 GMT) on Tuesday.
If there is a clear leader, celebrations are likely to break out among his supporters - but only the IEBC can make it official.
To win the presidential race in the first round, a candidate needs:
- more than half of all the votes cast across the country
- at least 25% of the votes cast in a minimum of 24 counties.
Otherwise voting goes to a second round which by law has to happen by 8 September.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is standing down after serving his limit of two terms in office. He has endorsed his long-time rival, Mr Odinga, rather than his deputy, Mr Ruto.
Who is in the race to run Kenya?
Learn more about Kenya’s presidential candidates
Choose a candidate to view their bio
Raila Odinga
William Ruto
George Wajackoyah
David Mwaure
Raila Amollo Odinga
Azimio la Umoja Coalition
The basics
- Age: 77
- Nicknamed “Baba”
- Son of former vice-president
- Trained as an engineer in what was then East Germany
- Prime minister from 2008 to 2013 in the unity government created after post-election violence
- Formed alliance with ex-political enemy President Uhuru Kenyatta
- Four-time unsuccessful presidential candidate
Known for
- Championed multiparty democracy in the one-party era.
- Detained twice (1982-88 and 1989-91) as a political prisoner.
- Seen as a formidable campaigner able to draw large crowds.
Key policies
- Achieve double-digit economic growth through investment in small business and manufacturing sector.
- Provide affordable quality healthcare for all.
- Disburse $50 (£42) a month to two million needy households.
William Samoei Ruto
Kenya Kwanza Alliance
The basics
- Age: 55
- Worked as a street trader as a teenager.
- Has a PhD in plant ecology from the University of Nairobi.
- Served as deputy president since 2013 but fell out with boss President Uhuru Kenyatta.
- One of Kenya’s biggest maize farmers.
- Charged by the International Criminal Court over post-election violence – charges later dropped.
Known for
- Portrays himself as champion of the downtrodden.
- Coined phrase “hustler nation”
- Owns huge parcels of land but the source of his wealth is a subject of speculation.
- Praised as an effective agriculture minister from 2008-2010.
- Seen as a powerful orator and robust media interviewee
Key policies
- Give all Kenyans subsidised health insurance cover and a fee waiver for poor households.
- Allocate $420m annually to support small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Appoint a gender-balanced cabinet.
George Wajackoyah
Roots Party
The basics
- Age: 63
- Holds a masters in international development law from the UK’s University of Warwick.
- Says he has 17 university degrees
- Worked in police intelligence before he fled the country in 1990 to escape from torture
- Gained notoriety with eye-catching policies
Known for
- Lived on the streets of the capital as a child and was rescued by Hare Krishna worshippers
- Partner in a law firm he established in 2018
- Campaigns wearing a tracksuit, T-shirt and headscarf rather than a smart suit
Key policies
- Legalise the farming and production of marijuana for industrial and medical use
- Switch to a four-day working week from Monday to Thursday
- Invest in snake farming to extract the venom which can be exported
David Mwaure Waihiga
Agano Party
The basics
- Age: 65
- Practised law for more than three decades
- Also an ordained reverend
- Previously ran for MP, senator and county governor – losing each time
Known for
- Founded Agano Party in 2006
- Says he brings a “breath of fresh air” to the top of politics
- First expressed an interest in running for president in 2013
Key policies
- Set up an asset recovery agency under the presidency to recover stolen funds
- Slash income tax by half and get rid of it altogether for medics and police
- Give incentives to manufacturers and entrepreneurs to create jobs
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