Kenya is holding a presidential election rerun because the Supreme Court nullified the results of the August 8 poll, which was won by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who got 45 percent of the vote last time round, has called for a boycott. President Kenyatta has urged voters to turn out, but also said those who wished not to vote were protected by the country’s constitution.
The election re-run has been marred by isolated clashes and a boycott by the main opposition. A teenage boy was shot by police and later died amid clashes in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, one of four counties hit by violence. The electoral commission said voting in those areas would be postponed until Saturday.
Tens of thousands of police and other security staff deployed to protect voters and polling stations, which closed at 17:00 local time (14:00 GMT).
International observers have scaled down their missions for security reasons. The electoral commission has seven days to declare the results.
After casting his vote in the town of Gatundu, Kenyatta had urged people to cast their ballots so the country could move on. “We’re tired as a country of electioneering. It’s time we moved forward,” he said, adding that most of the country was “calm and peaceful”.
More than 19 million Kenyans are registered to vote in the election rerun.
UCJ, UNILORIN.