Although the official presidential results have not been announced by the Electoral Commission of Kenya, Kenyan blogger, Gerald Baraza, has already declared the winner on his blog, “Kenya has a new President: Hon.Raila Amolo Odinga!… Congratulations Your Excellency Raila Amolo Odinga, 4th President of the Republic of Kenya!”
This should not surprise you. Kenyan bloggers have been following this year’s elections very closely. They have been covering the historic Kenyan Elections 2007 with constant updates of presidential and parliamentary votes. Other bloggers have been posting photos and writing about their own experiences and observations.
Mzalendo, a citizen-led parliamentary watchdog in Kenya, has done an excellent job of posting regular results of the parliamentary votes.
An update from Mzalendo at 2pm yesterday read:
Mzalendo now has the results for 47 Constituencies. For the complete up to date list click here
Highlights
- All of Moi’s sons have lost
- Minister Munyao has been defeated
Mzalendo now has the results for 64 Constituencies. For the complete up to date list click here
We’re now up to 95 constituencies, view the latest list here
BTW guys need to relax a bit on the requests for updates. We’re doing the best we can with our staff of two, and my laptop rapidly (and I do mean rapidly) approaching its deathbed. I was last in bed on Wednesday.
Kenya Imagine blog has a special Election Update page. Apart from posting regular updates, the blog asked voters to share election news and their experiences:
Have you any news on the elections? Please share it here. It needn't be anything untoward or alarming, although news of that will be very much appreciated also. Even news on the turnout, any delays in opening and so on is welcome. Are there enough observers about? Are there long queues? Do the Commission's officials look like they will cope with the hard work? Read here as Kenyans give their election experience.
How did the whole exercise go? Kenyan Pundit (Ory) considers this election a historic one even by international standards:
Folks this is a historic election by Kenyan standards, regional standards and international standards - I don’t think there is a precedent for the number of incumbents that are going down despite having massive resources behind them and attempts to bribe voters. And I challenge you to find an election in the Western world in recent times where people have come out with such determination, conviction, and a strong sense of civic duty .
I’m very very proud of Kenyan voters and you all should be no matter who you are supporting.
The media has focused on the presidential race and on the tribal nature of the campaign, but the story of the revolution (as I keep repeating, but really it’s worth emphasizing) is at the local level - Kenyans have realized the power of the vote and will no longer be taken for a ride. I think this election will be a watermark as far the maturity of voters and the impact it will have on the next Parliament (now we need to get rid of pensions for one-term MPs), Kenyans want results and CHANGE and not empty talk, and if ODM wins they will have an incredibly difficult time at managing expectations.
Ory’s observations of the voting day:
Despite turning up at 6:15 am turnout was already crazy. I’m really curious to see what the turnout will be overall because the few polling stations I visited in Lang’ata had an incredible turnout. When talking to guys in the line in Mada, they said they’ve never seen anything like this.
Observations from the day:
- Ballot papers were not on site like they are supposed to be. They only got delivered at 8:00 am, leading to lots of agitation among the crowd that had turned up early to vote. The crowd finally broke the gate into the school and rushed in (me included otherwise I’d still be in the line) after getting tired of waiting. Once that happened temperatures came down. Apparently many stations in Nairobi and especially Lang’ata did not start voting until around 9:00 am.
- Once inside the school, things were very chaotic. There was no one directing you on where to go and since you voted according to your last name’s initials it was a unneccessarily maddening process trying to figure out which classroom you should go to and then you have to line up again.
- There was lots of camaraderie and good humor in the line. Something very social about voting, which I didn’t expect. People also expressed their determination to vote no matter how long they had to stand in line. No one was wearing any party insignia or logos. There was also heavy tension in the air - any hint of something shady and the crowd could have lynched guys.
Thinker’s Room observed some interesting stuff:
I may have forgotten to carry my camera to capture the scenes, but there’s nothing wrong with my eyes and ears. Here is some of the interesting things I came across
• Some people woke up between 3 and 4 and were at the polling stations from 4 AM in the morning to vote
• If you’re thinking of heading to the ECK command center and waiting sweatily at ECK Chairman Kivuitu’s elbow for the results to be announced think again my child. No doubt remembering the events of 2002 the ECK has made sure that idlers and riffraff do not coalesce their shouting selves around the officials. Most roads leading to the KICC have been cordoned off and some very grim faced security personnel that appear to be either Administration police or General Service Unit. I found myself apologizing from a sharp look from one of those gentlemen.
• Some bars refused to serve customers who do not have the magical inked finger to indicate voting
• Some matatus refused to carry people that did not have the magical inked finger
• In Kibera things almost became sticky when it was discovered that Raila Odinga was not on the voter’s roll. Neither were people whose names started with O and A. Naturally this caused some acute consternation. The ECK explained that the lists had been split along alphabetic lines to reduce the numbers on the lines, and some lists were not delivered in time. Mercifully updated lists were updated and voting took place. I for one am very grateful that people kept their cool. Considering that in some communities names beginning with A and O are fairly thick on the ground, it could have been interpreted quite differently with very nasty results.
• Lines in Kibera were up to 2Km long. Yes, that’s kilometers.
• Nairobi polling stations are heavily populated by party agents that are reducing the speed of counting the ballots to a crawl
• Anticipating long nights, some ECK officials are making use of lulls in the voting to catch 40 winks on benches and on the grass.
• It was refreshing to see young aspiring leaders like Jonathan Mueke and John Kiarie showing up to vote. John Kiarie actually came with his wife and baby
• The Uchumi in South B was closed. (4 litres of soda don’t last as long as you’d think!)
• The voting queue at the Catholic Parochial polling station had to be seen to believed. It was even longer than the Kibera ones! Looping and winding on itself like that annoying snake game on Nokia phones
• There is talk that turnout could top 80% this election, which is a big increase from the last election where it was about 55%
• Preliminary coverage is inconsistent across stations. KTN is showing Odinga is ahead and Citizen and Nation are showing Kibaki is ahead (as of 11 PM)
• Some of the preliminary results are verging on the absurd. 99% for a candidate?
Mental Acrobatics calls for an independent news/current affairs radio station in Kenya:
This election has highlighted again that Kenya seriously and urgently needs an independent 24 hour news/current affairs radio station available nationally. Preferably on FM! Yes we have many independent 24 hour music stations and religious stations, now we need a hard hitting news/current affairs station. Something like the BBC’s radio 5 Live.
It is not sufficient to get a quick 3 minute update every hour or so from the music stations’ “team on the ground”. They just repeat what the official news conferences say and add very little insight or analysis. I feel sorry for the reporters, how much depth can you explore in 1.5 minutes leaving 1.5 minutes for a Q and A session?
Thank goodness for the BBC World Service which not only dispatched reporters around the country but also made the Kenyan election the lead story for the day (until the assassination of Benazir Bhutto (RIP) took over as the lead story). A lot of information I am using today is coming from the BBC World Service.
Gerald Baraza posted a breakdown of how Kenyan ethnic groups voted:
Here is a reliable and scientific prediction of how the various ethnic groups have voted:
Candidate: Mwai Kibaki - Raila Odinga — Kalonzo Musyoka
Kikuyu — 2,533,000 —– 5,000—– 2,000
Luyiah — 300,000 - —900,000— 60,000
Luo— 2,000 — 965,000— 1,000
Kalenjin— 150,000— 1,220,000 — 5,000
Kamba– -10,000— 4,000– - 910,000
Kisii- –200,000— 310,000 —- 2,000
Meru — 615,000—- 2,000 — 1,000
Other African— 150,000— 2,800,000 —50,000
Non African— 8,000— 8,000 —2,000
Total —-Kibaki- 3,968,000 –Raila– 6,214,000 –Kalonzo-1,033,000
In the same post, he writes that Kenyans in Michigan are planning to celebrate:
Kenyans in Michigan, plans are already underway for a grand celebration of this victory. Please get in touch if you do not want to miss out!!!
White African was impressed to see innovative use of technology by mobile election reporters:
I’ve been particularly impressed with the AfricaNews.com media group. They use technology in innovative ways, creating real usable systems to report and connect with Africans on multiple platforms. In the case of the Kenyan 2007 Elections, in partnership with the Arid Lands Information Network, they have created a site where mobile reporters from around the country bring news about the elections.
Juliana of Afromusing was covering the elections on her Twitter channel:
driving by polling stations, most of eldy area appears to be raila country by large margins about 19 hours ago from web
visited several polling stations in eld. some with long lines some are done. took pics. 04:39 AM December 27, 2007 from web
nation media txt and blogger daudi confirm railas problem voting in langata.new registers being printed 01:51 AM December 27, 2007 from web
fam. voted v. early in the morningm it was peaceful and quiet. 01:38 AM December 27, 2007 from web
phone call, rumour is that railas nm omitted from register in langata? 01:37 AM December 27, 2007 from webthe queues in eld for voting were v. long. pple were there in the dark of night. 01:30 AM December 27, 2007 from web
tweeting now from eldoret kenya using motorola q on safaricom gprs internet 01:25 AM December 27, 2007 from web
She is also blogging the election from Eldoret at Afromusing.
Two leading Kenyan newspapers, The Standard and the Daily Nation, set up multimedia election platform and for the first time introduced blogging in the newsroom.
Jesse Masai is probably the most notable parliamentary candidate who kept a blog as part of his campaign strategy. There is also a blog of Youth for Kibaki 2007, which has not been updated since July 2007.
Jesse Masai's latest post titled, Finito:Vox populi, vox Dei, reads:
Najivunia kuwa Mkenya.
I’m proud to be Kenyan.
I have lost, but am glad about it all: The immediate-former MP is truly and finally out.
Some of the things the above-mentioned did in at least three of my strongholds over the past few days - including yesterday - are better left unsaid.
I lost to, among a few others, ODM’s Joshua Kuttuny, a one-time schoolmate at Cherangany High School (these day’s St. Mark’s Boys).
We are contemporaries in much else, but similarities end almost immediately, as we do not agree on much in terms of world view.
My loss aside, am happy for my country and the manner in which it has been during this tense and fractious moments.
I believe our best days are ahead of us.
The next few weeks and months will see me sit down and write something decent about it - probably a book
A few minutes ago, Kumekucha, like Gerald Baraza, declared Raila the winner. He explains why:
Even as ODM were holding a press conference to claim victory in the presidential race, my tally as I had indicated in an earlier post clearly shows a Raila victory.
Interestingly the ECK is still giving Kenyans stories about missing returning officers and sitched off mobile phones to divert attention from the crux of the matter.
Back to my figures. Assuming an amazingly high average voter turn out countrywide of 60% from approx 14 million voters, that would give you a total vote count of 8.4 million votes meaning that as soon as Raila hit 4 million votes he should have been declared the winner. Available figures show that Raila has accumulated well over 4 million votes.
It is hard to understand to understand the complexity if Kenyan politics unless you take a very critical look.
I support the Kenyan government’s actions in banning live broadcasts. They did it for the general welfare of its citizens. The opposition was known to preach ethnicity and hurling insults, ODM candidate in particular preached of a RIGGED election long before the elections were held. The kind of politics he displayed had a very psychological twist, in that he fore-armed and fore-warned his supporters. Whether the results were rigged or not, he expected a particular reaction from his supporters, this is reaction is largely of a violence nature. To support my claims, notice that the only areas marred by violence are his strongholds- Kisumu, Bungoma, Kibera slums and Mathare slums.
The psychological games do not stop here. Raila Odinga had planned a coup in 1982, a very similar violence scene as we are now witnessing. Note that most of his supporters, or atleast those rioting were either very young or, born after this coup. He is relying on the very fact that they cannot recall the aftermath of the coup, or have no idea of its existence at all. He is manipulative and would use any means to gain power.
The saying goes that ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop’ Raila Odinga knows this best, he knows the youth he is employing for his gains are young, hungry, jobless and poor. This explains the looting scenes shown in his strongholds. He has promised them ‘redistribution of wealth’. Exactly how that is to be carried out is very unclear.
In contrast, Kibaki’s pre-election message was calm, peaceful, even at times urging all candidates to be friends. I urge you to watch these videos on youtube.com. He is inspirational, he has delivered a remarkable economic growth in 5 years only, he has offered free education to primary school children and was promising free medical care to children under 5yrs of age, he has improved infrastructure nationally, re-opened Kenyan textile industries and it was only fair to have him for another five years.
Kibaki is intelligent, he is a dignified (as compared to his insult hurling opponents), in fact most call him the gentleman of Kenyan politics.
Kibaki is an economist by traning, he does not promise ‘redistribution of wealth’, he knows that wealth should first be generated before distributing it.
As a devout Kenyan, I applaud those who voted for Kibaki, and for those who keep supporting Raila, I urge you to think carefully about your choice and know that your actions put the rest of the nation at stake.
we wiil not let kibaki lead Raila won 6provices,nyanza,western,rifft valley,coast,nairobi,north eastern,NO raila no peace we all go home to defend our rights
I am pained by deaths of people that were uncalled for. What does it pay for people to be injured and die and leave children and families for politicians who do not know them and do not even care enough for them, politicians who cannot curb their greed for power to save lives and maintain peace. How does running a mock on the streets help you or your family? And neither would have Raila’s coming to power have helped those causing mayhem on the streets. Wealth comes to those who think, plan, and work hard and smart.
Has any of the pro-Raila people stopped to think that maybe there was no rigging by PNU? And who says that the ODM camp did not rig? And why now has Raila and his cronies become the goody two shoes and have adopted a holier than thou attitude when we all know them for who they are? It was actually funny to see members of the Pentagon demanding justice and talking about democracy and people’s rights when we remember their actions and attitudes while in the Moi government. Does a chameleon change its colors or was it the thought of no gaining the power they yielded back then that made them so passionate? I thought they were part of rigging electins with Moi back then? And why all this talk of the people of Kenya having spoken – weren’t Kibaki and Raila’s votes almost equal and Kalonzo had his almost 1 million votes. Don’t ignore the Kenyans who voted for Kalonzo and Kibaki by saying Kenyans have spoken – don’t these people have a voice and didn’t their voice count?Especially because Raila’s and Kibaki’s votes were almost the same. Why are you and I at home airing our views on the internet while people in the slum are rioting due to the results. if you are a supporter of Raila why are you not out on the streets joining the ones rioting.
What we need is a leader who will ensure a stable country that is peaceful so that we can have growth in all areas for our future and future generations. Let’s all join together and pray for peace and spread peace around so that we can rise above bitterness and anger or pride and gloating with regards to the election results. It is not worth it for any of us.
I also urge our leaders to know that whether they have lost or won the fate of this country is in their hands because followers actions are directly related to who they perceive a leader to be. So they should swallow their pride and join together and help peace prevail. Thank you President Kibaki for reaching out to Raila and thank you Kalonzo Musyoka for urging all leaders to unite. Maybe this is a chance for Raila to endear people to himself by being bigger than what the people who did not vote for him perceive him to be by accepting defeat graciously like a gentleman and using that as a platform for his election in 2012. he can learn from ECK chairman who was able to make people who were so aggravated yesterday laugh like James Orengo by calling him Jimmy and also by congratulating Henry and Ruto for their election in their constituency. If not people will hold him responsible for the blood shed that is going because it involves only his supporters, who are using the election results to loot and vandalise. Ask the gentleman whose car was burnt in Kisumu what he thinks about Raila.
Will Raila come out and talk sense to his supporters in the same way he created the euphoria about Orange, ODM, nyundo etc.
Raila needs to accept defeat like a gentleman. The presidency has been decided and the country must move on. Raila is one man and he cannot be seen as larger than the country. Tight races are common place around the world, remember the 2000 presidential race in the United States? Remember how the Americans came together once it was decided? No man is greater than a country, leaders come and go but a country will always remain. Order must be restored in Kenya and because the opposition has chosen to act with violence it means that the government must step in to protect lives and property. The behaviour of violence in Kisumu shows how a sect of our society is still very uncivilized. Even when people are so educated they are still so indoctrined and cannot think for themselves. When a leader emerges from the Nyanza who is calm, not arrogant and embraces all communities I will vote him. It is not about tribe, it is about stability and the advancement of our nation in a non-violent way. How is it ODM never imagined they could lose this election? I have a major problem with this issue. It was said to be a close election everywhere, and usually when that happens the incumbent is usually relected. ODM needs to stop thinking and talking in the absolute and then they will be more realistic. We all need to calm down, excercise restraint, respect lives and property and support president Kibaki. He is the best president for Kenya in these very trying times. He will move the country forward more positively and he must advance agendas to address issues of the poor and the younger generation. What has been down for Kibera slums, have you all asked yourselves who the MP is for Kibera? “food for thought” emotions lead to euphoria and in times of euphoria factual thoughts are set aside. Lets become a people of critical thinking and reasoning and not a people led by emotions – regardless of our financial status. God bless kenya, and give our leadership wisdom to guide this great nation. Peace to all kenyans.
I hope those of you who are supporting Kibaki and his government are doing so from Kenya. If you are not in Kenya, what are you doing in other countries? The poor governance in Kenya including poverty has caused a mass exodus of Kenyans and most only want to go back home when there is hope of better governance. I’m afaid the Kanu governemt has and still is in power only under different name and face. If you are supporting the current government then your slogan should not be ‘kazi iendelee’ but ‘Kanu Juu’
Those listing Raila’s faults should know that Kibaki’s faults can be published in a novel beginning with his political career in the Kanu Government.
Raila is not burning cars or looting. On the contrary. He is urging Kenyans to be peaceful. It is the people of Kenya who are just about tired of rigging of elections by governemtns. Why make them go to the polls when results will be rigged anyway. Read your newspapers.
Lets deal with issues at hand and not about leaders faults and the Kanu regime. People are dying there is chaos in the country in ODM strongholds. It then follows that the best placed people to quel this are the ODM leaders so can they therefore take up this responsibility as leaders and talk sense to their supporters in the same way as when they were campaigining and created the orange ODM euphoria. We need and just want peace for our lives to continue.
I am sick and tired of people who continue to speak about Kenya’s economy “growing” by 6 percent, etc. Most of you saying this, belong to one of 2 categories. People who have benefited directly from the looting that has gone on in Kenya under Kibaki, and thus don’t feel the financial pinch, or those living out of the country. At what expense will this so called “growth” continue? As far as i am concerned, Kenya has become too expensive for many things due to this so called “economic growth”. How can a simple bottle of wine cost over 1,000 Shillings? I have purchased many bottles of whine in the US and the UK lately, and Kenya charges more than 2-5 times for such items, than it costs in the US and UK. Even tourists are complaining that things cost more in Kenya than in many European countries. As a Kenyan, my salary has not increased, but the salaries of those theives in government have. So do they feel the pain?… No is the answer, its not enough for them to steal our hard earned money, but to increase their salaries and allowances, is to add insult to injury. Kibaki and his 6 percent growth can go to hell. Trying to show the international bodies numbers and leaving his people to suffer…? I would rather have slow but steady economic growth, where what you earn can allow you to live a happy life in your own country. House prices have sky rocketed… why?… Has a brick become 2-5 times more expensive all of a sudden, or is it simply that the same idiots who steal our money then give themselves pay rises, are not saticefied enough that they want whatever we have left in our pockets for our families (hard earned), in paying them rent, etc. Kibaki must leave right now, and give the majiority of Kenyan’s who voted their chosen president, president Raila the opportunity to govern our country. I am not Kikuyu, neither am i Luo but Raila won fair and square. If we made a mistake chosing him, its still our right to decide for ourselves… Anyway, we made a mistake with Kibaki last time didnt we..? So there you go. Thats what voting is about..freedom to make and learn from our mistakes. Have a Happy New Year, but dont forget, kibaki must go!!!.
This is in reference to the point raised by the author calling him/herself kibakiout!!!!
How can you sincerely compare the price of wine in Kenya with that of UK or USA! I urge you to take a basic lesson in economy or commerce, because like it or not, its all about economy, Europeans, Asians and Americans know this, this is why they have managed to advance. We, Africans in our denial and tribal allegiances, have comfortably lagged behind. We are greedy beyond forgiveness.
What I meant to say was that, Kenya does not produce her own wine! Kenya has very little bargaining power in terms of commerce worldwide, Kenya has a history of a week economy, so like it or not, the international community has been crediting Kibaki for putting us on the economy map. Too sad you and many others do not understand this.
Kibaki had a strategy of Kenya becoming self-sufficient, this is why he has been revamping the textile industry for example, we spend too much money importing and rely on agricultural products as our only exports.
That aside, how does killing innocent kikuyus make your wine cheaper? how does killing other fellow kenyans make your wallet fatter?
As it is, we are loosing billions of shillings daily by this pointless war, dear author, if you ever worried about your finances, you have ssen nothing yet, the worst is yet to come, we are looking our peaceful reputation, we are lost faith in foreign investors, we have been divided ethnically, this will indeed make us poorer than we have ever been.
Penny,
The wine was just a simple example of how overpriced goods in general have become in Kenya. Maybe you need to take a course in simple common sense. Not long ago, the government wanted to increase the tax yet again on these so called luxury goods claiming that those who drunk wine, etc, could afford to pay more. We get wines as well from places like south africa, which have nothing to do with the EU and US, and thus does not need to be overtaxed. Its all show for foriegn investors. And by the way, i never said anything about killing kikuyu’s being right or otherwise. It is wrong to kill anyone without cause, so please don’t take my words out of context. Any government that took over after moi’s would look good anyway, regardless of how little they did, considering how rubbish moi’s government was economically. If kibaki’s government was really doing so well, and considering the fact that our country is a top tourist destination, then what happened to the roads in kenya? where did the funds to build new roads disappear to? At some point this year, the government was advising tourists to fly to maasai mara and mombasa because the roads were so bad! So where was the economics then, considering that tourism on its own, brings in about $800,000 a year into our economy. Did that bald headed man in power forget that in all of this? you talk about comparing wine prices in the UK and US to kenya, yes i do. I have lived in both countries (more than 4 years in each)in the past 10 years, and i compare it purely to how much one earns in each country, the spending power of the dollar in the US in purchasing simple goods, and the same in the UK. The prices they charge in kenya are absolutely rediculous in comparison to what the average kenyan earns. You touch only on imported goods, but those extortionate prices dont stop there. A packet of farmers choice hotdogs locally made, costs in excess of 500(KES). Now tell me how someone with an average income can afford to even buy that kind of thing for there family. Worst still, is that there is no alternative. The type of strain the government has put on farmers, retailers and restaurateurs, has made things more expensive down the line. It is a false economy with standards and quality of services, that fall way short of the prices. You can’t expect me to believe that creating this type of ‘economy’ is good for the people. And that is why millions of people who in 2002, joined hands to vote kibaki in, voted him out this year in an election that even the EU and US recognised as flawed. They saw the lies he had made before them in his bid for election as president, for what they actualy were. Rigging is the final legacy of the man who stole the election in front of our eyes and those of the rest of the world. If he had made the economy so good as you think he has, for the people who actually live in it, the outcome of the election would have been better. The only people who benefited from it are him, muthaiga mafias and the rest of his cronies. At least my money is hard earned, and not stolen under false pretence of nation building. Anyone other than moi, could have received the same international investments as kibaki after the 2002 elections. He is not a special case.