Stage set for Kenyan election campaigns

Feb 03, 2013

The stage is now set for the campaign period in Kenya ahead of the March 4 general elections.

By Reuben Olita in Kenya

The stage is now set for the campaign period in Kenya ahead of the March 4 general elections after Friday’s deadline for parties to present their nomination papers to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).


The individual to succeed departing president Mwai Kibaki as Kenya’s fourth president will be picked from nine candidates who were cleared to contest the post which continues to generate anxiety among the nationals.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee and Musalia Mudavadi of Amani are front-runners in the race to take on the east African nation’s highest seat.

Others in the race are Peter Kenneth of Eagle Alliance, Paul Muite of Safina, Martha Karua of Narc Kenya, James ole Kiyiapi of RBK, and Mohamed Abduda Dida of ARK.

Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka is deputizing Raila Odinga, William Ruto (Uhuru), Jeremiah Kioni (Mudavadi), Augustine Lotodo (Karua), Ronnie Osumba (Kenneth), Winnie Kaburu Kinyua (Kiyiapi), Shem Ochuodho (Muite) and Joshua Odongo Onono (Dida).

Opinion polls suggest that the race might not realize an outright winner in the first round, which should prompt a run-off between the first two candidates.

Analysts say President Kibaki may be in office until June if there is to be a run-off and a petition challenging the second round results.

The law is also clear. A candidate for president will be declared outright winner if he or she gets atleast 51% of the total votes cast and at least 25% of the votes in half of the 47 counties.

If no candidate meets that minimum requirement, a run-off involving the first and second candidates is held.

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