KENYA: Anxiety builds as Kenyans wait for presidential winner.

Record ID: 362520

  • Title: KENYA: Anxiety builds as Kenyans wait for presidential winner.
  • Date: 7th March 2013
  • Summary: MOMBASA, KENYA (MARCH 7, 2013) (REUTERS) DESERTED STREET SIGN READING, "MOMBASA" NEWSPAPER VENDORS AT THEIR STALLS
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8B4UO171C2EDVHXTWY7ADPKNA
  • Story Text: Tension is building in the streets of Mombasa, Kenya's port and second-largest city, as the country awaits the results of its presidential elections, delayed for three days on Thursday (March 7).
    Kenyan authorities said the outcome of the country's presidential election would not be compromised by the failure of electronic vote counting technology that has delayed results.
    Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, who is due to go on trial for crimes against humanity linked to the violent aftermath of the last election in 2007, has led since results started trickling in after polls closed on Monday.
    But some strongholds loyal to his rival Prime Minister Raila Odinga have yet to declare their results.
    Residents in Mobasa say many shops are closed and some people have fled, fearing a repeat of the 2007 violence.
    "Mombasa has to have tension because when people remember what has happened in the past, the people are afraid. Some shops are closed, the ones that are open are few, others have gone upcountry because they fear for their lives, but this time I don't think it is going to be as bad as it was in the past, (like in) the elections of 2007-2008," Mobasa resident, Ronald Yatika, said.
    "There is tension here because people are worried. But those who understand what is going on don't think there is cause for concern because things are working out as they are supposed to. So we should be patient, we should wait patiently for the results, so that we can get new leaders," said Mombasa resident, Abraham Mwanga.
    Kenyatta's lead appeared to have been eroded subsequently, but it is too early to predict the outcome. At 1.45 a.m. on Thursday (2245 GMT on Wednesday), Kenyatta had 1,119,761 votes to Odinga's 819,573 from a handful of constituencies.
    Election officials had said turnout was more than 70 percent of the 14.3 million eligible voters.
    If neither major candidate wins 50 percent of the vote, Kenyatta, 51, and Odinga, 68, would have to face each other in an April run-off, prolonging the uncertainty.
    Kenyan authorities say they hoped to deliver the final outcome of a presidential vote on Friday (March 8).
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