Kenya goes to polls in Presidential election re-run

Kenyans on Thursday began voting in a Presidential election re-run being boycotted by the country's main opposition, the National Super Alliance, media reports said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second term, has urged people to vote and remain peaceful while opposition leader Raila Odinga, who has pulled out of the election re-run, has called on his supporters to stay away, reports the BBC.

Kenyatta was announced the winner in the initial August 8 vote with 54 per cent of votes, but the Supreme Court overturned the results and ordered polls to be held again due to irregularities.

The polls on Thursday opened at 6 a.m. with tens of thousands of police and other security personnel deployed to protect voters and polling stations.

The effect of the opposition boycott was visible at the polling stations, where the number of people coming to vote was considerably less than for the August 8 elections.

An observer of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) told Efe news that this time it will be easier and faster to count the votes.

The electoral body has been accused by the opposition of not carrying out reforms to prevent similar irregularities as the last election in this poll.

The observer said that even though there were less people, he hoped that more will turn up as the day progresses.

At least 37 people were killed and hundreds injured in clashes during the August election.

--IANS

ksk/mr