At to the lowest degree 4 people were killed Th inwards clashes over Kenya's election re-run, prompting officials to delay the vote inwards 4 counties in addition to farther tarnishing the credibility of a deeply divisive poll.
As counting began subsequently a twenty-four hr catamenia marked past times bloodshed in addition to piteous voter turnout, President Uhuru Kenyatta was heading for a landslide victory subsequently his competition Raila Odinga pulled out.
But estimated figures compiled past times the election board pointed to a turnout of only 48 percent.
If confirmed, it would live on a huge autumn from the nearly fourscore per centum charge per unit of measurement inwards the August poll, which was won past times Kenyatta but overturned past times the Supreme Court inwards an unprecedented ruling that sparked weeks of protestation in addition to acrimonious debate.
As the troubled election played out, 3 people were killed equally protests raged inwards opposition strongholds inwards the westward of the country, piece a 4th died inwards a Nairobi slum where clashes erupted betwixt demonstrators in addition to police.
The confirmed casualties raised the pose out of people killed inwards election-related violence since the August poll to 44.
In a televised address subsequently the polls unopen at 1400 GMT, election main Wafula Chebukati said 8 out of 10 of the country's polling stations had opened.
"We create got 40,883 poll stations... out of that number, 35,564 polling stations opened or sent an opening message, pregnant voting took house in addition to this is representing 87 per centum of polling stations," he said, noting at that spot were 5,319 that did non opened upward or were unable to shipping an opening message.
Earlier, Chebukati said that due to "security-related challenges", the ballot would live on postponed until Sabbatum inwards 4 protest-hit counties inwards the west: Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori in addition to Siaya.
But Kisumu's governor Anyang Nyongo rejected the move, maxim people would non vote piece they were "mourning".
- A vote for Jesus -
While Odinga's supporters striking the streets, others went to the polls to shape their ballots.
But, inwards stark contrast to the August election, several polling stations inwards telephone substitution areas stood empty or welcomed entirely a handful of voters inwards an election probable to confront to a greater extent than legal battles subsequently its conclusion.
At 1 polling station inwards Nairobi's Kibera slum, rocks bounced off the roof equally officials tallied only sixteen votes -- all for Kenyatta.
In the middle-class neighbourhood of Kilimani, turnout at St Georges schoolhouse was entirely 42 percent, alongside Kenyatta scoring the large bulk -- although 1 individual wrote inwards the advert of Jesus, in addition to voted for him.
As voting headed to a close, constabulary in addition to infirmary sources confirmed 4 people had been shot dead in addition to to a greater extent than or less l others wounded, nigh past times alive bullets, according to an AFP tally of figures from officials in addition to medics.
At the Jaramogi infirmary inwards Kisumu, an AFP correspondent saw several people arriving covered inwards blood.
"This is crazy, they are shooting at us -- nosotros are demonstrating in addition to they shoot us!" said Samuel Okot, 20, who was sitting alongside his friend Joseph Ouma who had been shot inwards the knee articulation in addition to was howling inwards pain.
"What variety of province is this?"
- Threat of to a greater extent than bloodshed -
The violence drew a abrupt reply from rights watchdog Amnesty International.
"With tensions running high at that spot is a really existent threat of farther bloodshed equally the election re-run takes place," said Justus Nyangaya, managing director at Amnesty International Kenya.
"We are calling on the constabulary to entirely operate forcefulness equally a terminal resort -- unlawful constabulary killings in addition to other human rights violations must non live on allowed to recur.”
In Kisumu, 19-year-old George Odhiambo died from blood loss subsequently beingness shot inwards the thigh during clashes which erupted subsequently protesters barricaded roads in addition to polling stations to block the vote, constabulary in addition to infirmary sources said.
A minute individual died from a gunshot injure to the leg inwards Kisumu, constabulary said, subsequently a polling centre was "stormed" past times a mob.
Police said some other human being was shot dead inwards Homa Bay, also inwards the west, "where a large mob attacked a small-scale constabulary facility" prompting officers to opened upward burn "to protect themselves", a contestation said.
A 4th human being died subsequently beingness shot inwards the caput inwards Nairobi's Mathare slum, some other hotspot inwards the working capital missive of the alphabet where constabulary fired H2O cannon in addition to teargas to disperse demonstrators.
In the eastern port urban center of Mombasa, constabulary said a human being was stabbed equally he was going out to vote, piece inwards Kisumu a constabulary officeholder was also wounded alongside a knife.
Also inwards Mombasa, constabulary said protesters inwards the city's People's Republic of Bangladesh slum had smeared faeces on the walls of a primary schoolhouse that was to live on used equally a polling station.
- Pyrrhic victory for Kenyatta? -
Analysts tell the boycott inwards due east Africa's richest economic scheme in addition to 1 of its strongest democracies is probable to tarnish the credibility of Kenyatta's victory in addition to deepen its worst political crisis since a 2007 election sparked politically-driven ethnic violence that left 1,100 dead.
"Today, no fair election tin privy create got place. The regime wants to forcefulness us to vote, but nosotros did non desire to create it in addition to nosotros volition non create it," said Austin Olang, a 26-year-old maths instructor inwards Kisumu.
In the start out election, turnout was nearly fourscore per centum amid the nineteen 1000000 registered voters. Kenyatta secured victory alongside 54 per centum of the vote, piece Odinga came minute alongside 45 percent.
Odinga, 72, is a veteran opposition leader who followed inwards the footsteps of his virile individual parent in addition to inherited a dynastic rivalry alongside Kenyatta, whose virile individual parent was the country's start out post-independence president.
In areas loyal to Kenyatta, turnout was steady but all the same appeared to live on far lower than during the start out round.
But inwards Odinga's main strongholds, polling officials were left twiddling their thumbs.
The determination to cancel the August poll was initially hailed equally a service to commonwealth inwards a province plagued past times disputed elections.
But the re-run has been dogged past times chaos in addition to acrimony, prompting western diplomats to boom Odinga in addition to Kenyatta for fuelling division.
AFP