Kenya elections 2022: Raila Odinga and William Ruto in a tight race for president

• Dickens Olewe
• 9 Aug, 2022

Kenyans will choose their next president after an intense campaign dominated by debates about living costs, unemployment and corruption.

Outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, having served the constitutionally limited two terms, is backing one-time foe Raila Odinga, 77, to succeed him.

His decision followed a falling out with Deputy President William Ruto, 55, who had expected to be endorsed. More than 22 million Kenyans have registered to vote.

Several other elections are happening simultaneously, and a mix-up of ballot papers in some areas for some of those votes has again raised questions about the organisation of the general election.

Polls are due to open for 11 hours from 06:00 local time (03:00 GMT). Anyone still in the queue at closing time will be allowed to vote.
 

The results of the last presidential election in 2017 were annulled after the Supreme Court ruled that the electoral commission had not followed the law regarding the electronic transmission of the vote tallies from the polling stations.

Judges ruled that "illegalities and irregularities" occurred. A re-run was won by Mr Kenyatta but boycotted Mr Odinga - the primary opposition candidate at the time.
 

The chairman of the electoral commission, Wafula Chebukati, who was also in charge of the 2017 vote, has frequently tried to reassure Kenyans that his team will be up to the task this time.

Baba v Hustler

But Monday's logistical problems have increased the pressure on him. Baba v Hustler This election will be a tight race between frontrunners Mr Odinga and Mr Ruto.

Mr Odinga - a long-serving opposition leader, nicknamed Baba ("father") by his supporters, is running for president for the fifth time.

Mr Ruto, who has tried to emphasise his connection with ordinary Kenyans by calling himself a "hustler, " will take his first stab at the presidency.

Two other candidates - David Mwaure and George Wajackoya - are also in the race. Despite the campaign being dominated by issues, ethnic loyalty may also play a part in determining how people vote.
 

For the first time in the multi-party era, none of the leading candidates is from the country's largest ethnic group - Kikuyu. But knowing those votes are vital, both have chosen Kikuyu running mates.

Voting process

To win the presidential race in the first round, a candidate needs: more than half of all the votes across the country at least 25% of the votes are cast in 24 counties.

Voters will also choose MPs and senators to go to the national parliament, county governors and county assembly members, and 47 women's representatives to sit in the National Assembly.
 

On election day, voters will have their fingerprints scanned to check their identity, but a printed register can also be used if the machines fail.

Each voter will then be given colour-coded ballot papers for each election, which they will mark in a private booth and drop in the relevant ballot boxes.
 

Counting will start at the polling stations shortly after voting ends. Officials will then take a photo of the final tally and send the image to both the constituency and national tallying centres.

To ensure transparency, the media, political parties and civil society groups have been urged to run their tallies using the final results declared at the more than 40,000 polling stations.

But only the electoral commission can declare the winner of the presidential election after verifying the physical and digital forms sent to the national tallying centre.

The leading presidential candidates have vowed to respect the result of the elections. - BBC

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