POLITICS-KENYA: Early Lead for Opposition Presidential Candidate, Kibaki

IPS 28.12.2002

Katy Salmon

OTHAYA, Kenya, Dec 28 (IPS) - Early results show a strong lead for the opposition presidential candidate, Mwai Kibaki of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC).

If Kibaki defeats the ruling KANU party's presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta, it will mark the first opposition victory since Kenya's independence from Britain in 1963.

Kibaki is expected to retain his Othaya seat, in Central Province, where he has been the member of parliament since 1974.

In Othaya, some 170 kilometres from the capital Nairobi, voters were already queuing before the polls opened at 6am on Friday.

Almost all of those waiting patiently in the queue appeared to be supporters of Kibaki's NARC coalition. Voter John Kagiri echoed a common sentiment - that he is voting for change and economic recovery. ‘'We are going to vote all NARC candidates. We are voting them in because we want a change in Kenya û economic revival so that we have a cohesive society,'' he said.

‘'I want to put my country in the right shape with the right leadership,' ' he explained.

Fellow voter Daniel Muruiri says he chose to support Kibaki because of his lengthy experience in government. ‘'Since we got independence he has been working in the government and he has got very great experience,'' he said.

When Kibaki came to vote at Munaini polling station at 11 O'clock on Friday morning, hundreds of enthusiastic supporters rushed forward and crowded round his car.

A tired-looking Kibaki did not get out of the car. He has been unable to walk since he broke his ankle in a serious car accident earlier this month. He was also wearing a neck brace.

Security officers spent almost half an hour jostling with the crowd as Kibaki waited, sitting on the back seat of the Mercedes Benz with his wife.

A returning officer from the Electoral Commission of Kenya explained that Kibaki would vote from his car. ‘'We shall bring the three ballot papers û presidential, parliamentary and civic. We bring them to Mr Kibaki. Then he marks. Agreed?'' he shouted to the crowd.

Amid much confusion and jostling, the three ballot boxes were then carried out of the polling station to the side of Kibaki's car for him to cast his votes.

Kibaki's wife, Lucy, expressed confidence that her husband will win the election and become Kenya's third president. ‘'He is in a very jovial mood because he has the same feeling, like the rest of us, that NARC started winning six O'clock in the morning,'' she said.

After voting, Kibaki immediately set off for Nairobi to monitor the progress of the elections.

There is a celebratory mood in Othaya reflecting a widespread sense of confidence that Kibaki will win Kenya's elections. As dusk fell on Thursday evening, hundreds of supporters, waving posters of Kibaki, lined the town's main street hoping to catch a glimpse of him on his way home.

Owners say the local bars have been full for the last three days, as Othaya residents celebrate what they hope will be the ushering in of a new era for Kenya.

Kenyans waited patiently despite long queues. ‘'We have not slept from yesterday,'' said deputy presiding officer at Kagongo polling station in Othaya, Alice Waithaka. ‘'We are not tired. We have a lot of reserved energy for this exercise because we have waited for it for the last five years.''

‘'That's why even the voters are not tired. They are still there and they will still queue,'' she explained.

Most polling stations closed at 6pm and counting began. Voting is being extended in some stations, which opened late, mainly due to bad weather.

By Saturday morning, Kibaki had 72 percent of the presidential vote, according to the Institute for Education in Democracy (IED), a Kenyan non-governmental organisation, which advises the electoral commission. Kenyatta - handpicked by Moi - was trailing with 26 percent.

A clear picture of national results is not expected until late Saturday.

The ruling KANU party suffered an early disappointment, with Vice-President Musalia Mudavadi losing his Sabatia seat to NARC challenge Moses Akaranga.

To become president, Kibaki must win nationally and get 25 percent of the vote in at least five of Kenya's eight provinces. In this election, there are 10.5 registered voters. Turnout is expected to be higher than the 67 percent in 1997.

Many voters complained about being left off the electoral rolls and thus being denied the right to vote despite having voters' cards. A senior member of the NARC summit team, Raila Odinga, said pro-opposition voters had been deleted from registers in Nairobi.

Kenya's 2002 elections have so far avoided the violence that characterised its first two multi-party polls, in 1992 and 1997.