NINE out of EVERY 10 KENYANS voted in RAILA--IEBC DATA shows

NINE out of EVERY 10 KENYANS voted in RAILA--IEBC DATA shows

At least nine out of ten registered voters cast their votes in 17 counties in last week’s polls, translating to a massive turnout that shaped the eventual results.


Official results from each of the counties also indicate clear voting patterns in favour of leading contenders President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his main rival Prime Minister RailaOdinga.


In Uhuru’s stronghold of central Kenya, the data from Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission reports that 94 per cent of registered voters participated in Nyandarua and Murang’a counties, with Nyeri coming third at 93 per cent.


Homa Bay, Siaya and Migori counties had the highest voter turnout in Raila’s turf at between 92 per cent and 93 per cent, an indication of how critical regional and ethnic support for contenders is in Kenya’s polls.


Eleven of the 17 counties that reported the 90 per cent-plus voter turnout were Uhuru’s strongholds, which show Jubilee coalition did well in rallying followers in its strongholds to get out and vote.


In contrast, the bottom counties as regards voter turnout were Kilifi (65 per cent), Mombasa (66.6 per cent) and Kwale (72 per cent). These were CORD’s strongholds.


Raila booked a strong performance in all counties that reported less than 84 per cent voter turnout, including populous Kisii, Kakamega and Nairobi.


Nationally, 86 per cent of the 14.3 million registered voters cast their votes, a record turnout in the country’s history.


It is only Mandera, among the counties that voted for Jubilee coalition, which reported a lower turnout than the national average at 84 per cent.


Voter turnout would be a key component in determining results of a fresh election should the Supreme Court rule in favour of CORD.


CORD legal team headed by Education minister Mutula Kilonzo and his Lands counterpart James Orengo has indicated that it would be filing a petition at the Supreme Court by Monday next week seeking to nullify the results of the presidential election.


VOTES CAST


A huge voter turnout in Jubilee coalition’s strongholds is among the grounds that CORD is contesting Uhuru’s first round win where he garnered over 6.1 million votes, equal to 50.07 per cent of the votes cast.


CORD was yesterday granted its plea by the High Court in Nairobi to inspect Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission’s voter register that was used in the polls where it hopes to unearth malpractices like multiple voting.


 In the case that the yet-to-be filed petition is ruled in CORD’s favour and a fresh election called, Uhuru’s team would have its work cut out in marshalling supporters in its strongholds to come out and vote, especially in Coastal region.



Jubilee coalition would be hoping that its followers would repeat the massive show of approval granted in the March 4 elections.