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Millions of Kenyans troop to polling stations today to choose the country’s fifth president.

As they queue in over 46,000 voting stations across the country, they will also be choosing who will represent them in county assemblies, National Assembly and who will be their governors for the next five years.

Top on their minds as they go to vote will be the high cost of living, unemployment and corruption, the three main issues recent opinion polls indicated Kenyans expect the new administration to address once its gets into office next month.

Yesterday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission urged Kenyans to turn out and vote, saying its officers were ready to conduct a credible election.

A total of 46,232 polling stations have been gazetted for today’s election.

“This is a momentous decision in the hands of 22,120,458 registered voters. I am calling upon voters to turn up and exercise their democratic right on Election Day,” IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said.

With President Uhuru Kenyatta set to retire once a winner is announced, voters will be choosing between Deputy President William Ruto and Azimio-One Kenya flagbearer Raila Odinga, who are the frontrunners. Other candidates in the race are George Wajackoyah of Roots Party and David Mwaure of Agano Party.

If an outright winner is declared by the end of this week, President Uhuru will oversee a smooth handover of power by end of August.

On Sunday, the President said he was ready to vacate the most powerful office, chiding those he claimed had been peddling innuendo that he was planning to hang on to power beyond the constitutional limit.

About 80 per cent of the 22.1 million voters are expected to take part in today’s election, the fifth since the return of multi-party politics 30 years ago. The first was held in 1992 when then President Daniel Moi agreed to the repeal of Section 2 (a) of the old Constitution to allow for formation of more parties besides the ruling party, Kanu.

Before then, the country had been under one party rule since 1982 when the National Assembly voted to amend the Constitution.

A new Constitution was adopted in 2010 that clearly spells the General Election date, positions to be contested, qualifications for those eyeing elective seats and what makes one eligible to vote among others. It also indicates that a General Election will be held on the second Tuesday of every August in every fifth year. 

At the end of this electoral period, the country will have a new president and deputy, a fresh National Assembly, 47 governors, senators and county assemblies. 

For the National Assembly, voters will be picking 290 individuals to represent their constituencies and 47 Woman MPs to increase female representation in the House.

Second round

If none of the presidential candidates garner 50 per cent plus one vote of all the ballots cast, IEBC will hold a run-off within 30 days of announcement of the first-round results.

 A candidate who garners majority of the votes in the second round will be declared winner. In 2017, the Supreme Court nullified President Uhuru’s victory, citing electoral irregularities and malpractices after Raila challenged the victory.

The court ordered a repeat within 60 days. If this was to happen again this year, then the electoral period might be extended accordingly.

However, all candidates are this morning expected to vote for themselves when polling opens this morning. Raila will cast his ballot at Olympic Primary School in Kibra constituency.

Ruto is expected at Kosachei Primary School in Sugoi, Turbo constituency.

Wajackoyah is expected to vote at Indangalasia Primary School in Matungu constituency while Mwaure is expected at Upperhill Secondary School in Nairobi.

Other persons of interest are President Uhuru, who will vote in his home village of Ichaweri, Raila’s Running Mate Martha Karua who will be voting in Gichugu and Ruto’s Running Mate, Rigathi Gachagua, who will be voting in Mathira.

Raila, who is seeking the presidency for a fifth time, enjoys the backing of the outgoing President, who he has been working closely with after their handshake in early 2018.

Their political alliance blossomed once they agreed to bury the hatchet although it came at a cost for Ruto, who lost the Head of State’s endorsement for the top seat. 

Ruto is making his first attempt at the presidency. He has anchored his campaign on a bottom-up economic model that he has said is aimed at improving the lives of the poor.

These are the two hottest tickets that voters will be deciding on when voting begins at 6am. Those who wish to make their votes count have until 5pm to exercise that democratic right.

IEBC has categorically said no voter will be allowed to join a queue after the end of the voting period.

Voters will be required to present the original document they used to register. Once they show their IDs, they will be handed six ballot papers to mark before dropping them in respective boxes, which will be clearly marked with easily identifiable colours.

Counting of votes begins as soon as voting closes and it is expected presidential votes will be counted first. The results announced at the polling station are deemed final and will not be altered at any other point in the collation and tallying process.

Chebukati has expressed confidence the commission will conduct credible elections. He, however, yesterday acknowledged that they had experienced early challenges, such as the postponement of Kakamega and Mombasa gubernatorial elections due to a mix-up of names and photos. These will be held separately at a later date.

Meanwhile, several electoral officers were fired and arrested after they were involved in electoral malpractices.

“Elections are at the polling station. It will start and end there. Results will be announced at the polling station. We have allowed agents, observers, the media to take photos of the results,” Chebukati said. “You can also have your own vote tallying. We believe with those measures in place there will be less disputes.”