Results of Kenya's presidential election re-run began to trickle inwards on Fri amongst early on estimates of the turnout at below 35 percent, dealing a blow to President Uhuru Kenyatta's hopes for a decisive second-term mandate.
With nearly all followers of opposition leader Raila Odinga heeding the veteran's telephone telephone for a boycott, Kenyatta's victory is non inwards question.
Less clear is his mightiness to unite the eastward African nation, whose deep ethnic divisions accept been exposed during a bloody as well as chaotic election procedure stretched over the final 3 months as well as multiple courtroom cases.
The showtime election, inwards August, was annulled yesteryear the courts because of procedural irregularities, denying Kenyatta a elementary victory over his long-term political rival. Turnout inwards that election was eighty percent.
If the expected legal challenges neglect to clear a path out of the crisis, including a possible social club for some other re-run, the outcome volition hold upward a protracted as well as economically damaging political stalemate betwixt the Kenyatta as well as Odinga camps.
"Unless the courts annul the election, Kenyatta volition movement forrad without a clear mandate as well as Odinga volition pursue a protestation strategy whose chances of success inwards the circumstances are non really high," International Crisis Group analyst Murithi Mutiga said.
Voting on Th passed off without a hitch inwards pro-Kenyatta areas but was marred yesteryear skirmishes betwixt law as well as stone-throwing opposition supporters inwards 4 pro-Odinga counties where polling stations were prevented from opening.
The partitioning was neatly captured inwards local media, amongst the Standard, a leading tabloid, headlining its front end page: "One Kenya, 2 faces”.
The outcome is existence closely watched across East Africa, which relies on Republic of Kenya equally a merchandise as well as logistics hub, as well as inwards the West, which considers Nairobi a bulwark against Islamist militancy inwards Somalia as well as conflict inwards South Sudan as well as Burundi.
TROUBLESPOTS
The election committee said to a greater extent than than 1 inwards 10 polling stations failed to opened upward due to "security challenges". Its chairman, Wafula Chebukati, tweeted overnight that 6.55 1 grand k ballots had been cast - only 34.5 per centum of registered voters.
Election officials postponed voting inwards the trouble-spots - all staunchly pro-Odinga districts - for 48 hours although the delay is unlikely to brand whatsoever difference.
In all, 4 people were shot dead yesteryear law - 3 inwards the pro-Odinga western metropolis of Kisumu, governor Anyang Nyong'o said, as well as 1 inwards the neighbouring county of Homa Bay, law said.
Around l people accept been killed, to a greater extent than ofttimes than non yesteryear safety forces, since the master copy Aug. 8 vote, raising fears of sustained violence exclusively a decade later 1,200 people were killed inwards serious ethnic fighting triggered yesteryear some other disputed vote. On Fri morning, shops started to reopen as well as traffic returned to Kisumu as well as the restive Nairobi slums of Kibera as well as Mathare, although rocks as well as the remnants of burnt barricades sill littered the roads.
LEGAL CHALLENGES
Opposition lawyers may mention the failure to opened upward polling stations inwards a swathe of the province equally a argue to declare the poll unconstitutional as well as attempt a fresh contest.
Other grounds could include a High Court ruling the twenty-four hours earlier the election that said hundreds of election officers had been improperly recruited.
"The election acre did non adjust to constitutional requirements," said James Orengo, co-chair of the opposition legal team. But he said no determination on whether to file a illustration had been reached yet. The squad has vii days later polls approximately file a case.
On Friday, amendments to an election law became legal that curtail reasons the Supreme Court tin move mention to nullify an election. Kenyatta had non signed the amendments, but they were pending long plenty to instruct law, his spokesman said.
Opposition supporters hailed the Supreme Court when it overturned Kenyatta's August win inwards an unexpected as well as historic rebuke to election authorities.
But for many, the tarnish returned later v out of vii judges failed to demonstrate upward for a hearing on Midweek seeking to delay the polls.
Chief Justice David Maraga said 1 was sick, 1 was stranded as well as some other likewise upset to demonstrate upward later her bodyguard was shot the nighttime before, an unsolved assail many Kenyans interpreted equally a threat. He did non draw of piece of job organization human relationship for the other two.
"I intend it was deliberately choreographed," said motorbike taxi driver Steve Aluoch inwards Kisumu. "I would non hold upward surprised if a similar charade plays out if a petition is filed."
Reuters