| Saturday, 28 December, 2002, 19:06 GMT
Kenyan opposition 'heads for victory'
President Moi has bid farewell to the armed forces Opposition party leader Mwai Kibaki is on course for a comfortable victory in Kenya's presidential elections, according to unofficial results.
With ballots counted in over half of the 210 parliamentary constituencies, unofficial results showed Mr Kibaki had won nearly 66% of votes, compared to the ruling party's candidate, Uhuru Kenyatta, trailing on 28%.
Official results are expected on Sunday, a day after Kenyans flocked voted to elect a successor to President Daniel arap Moi, a new parliament and local councils. Many Kenyans can only remember one president throughout their lifetimes - Mr Moi - and this election has been eagerly anticipated. Mr Kenyatta of the ruling Kenya National African Union (Kanu) party - handpicked by Mr Moi - has won his parliamentary seat, according to the French news agency, AFP, quoting the electoral commission. Kanu party members remained defiant, saying it was too soon to be sure of the outcome. Njoroge Mungai, a senior Kanu official, told French news agency that Mr Kenyatta "still had a chance".
'Free and fair' Commonwealth election observers have hailed the "orderly" poll. "The people of Kenya, the political leaders and the parties deserve to be congratulated on their demonstrated belief in, and commitment to, democratic values and ethics, in particular to free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections," a statement said.
The BBC's Gray Phombeah in the coastal resort of Mombasa reports that opposition supporters have been celebrating their apparent victory in the town, throughout the night. "People who have been yearning for change for a long time," said Eliphas Nyamogo, a 29-year-old teacher. "People voted for change because they are tired of the current system, they had no trust in Kanu portraying themselves as new," he said. Polling agent killed
Vice President Musalia Mudavadi has lost his parliamentary seat, as have several cabinet ministers, losses which could deal a severe blow to the Kanu party. The Institute for Education in Democracy reports that Narc candidates have won 49 parliamentary seats, against 15 for Kanu. Mr Kibaki has retained his seat in the central Othaya constituency, AFP reported.
One of the minor presidential candidates, James Orengo, failed to keep his parliamentary seat. The BBC's Ishbel Matheson in Nairobi says the election has been the most peaceful poll in the country since the introduction of multi-party elections in 1992. However, a policeman in a vehicle carrying ballot papers mistakenly shot dead a polling agent and his assistant in another car in the western district of Kisii on Friday night, Reuters news agency reports. 'That's democracy'
Mr Moi has urged the armed forces to support whoever wins the poll. He was speaking at an official farewell ceremony to hundreds of Kenya's army, air force and navy troops.
Asked if he was disappointed that Kanu, seemed to be losing the election, Mr Moi replied: "That's democracy." He is due to stand down as president on 5 January. The opposition campaign has focused on promises to end corruption and has attacked Kanu's record during its 39 years in power. The economy is stagnating and more than half of the 30 million population live on less than $1 a day. Analysts say that Mr Moi is one of the last of Africa's "big men" - who built up personality cults in the countries they ruled - often for many decades. |
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27 Dec 02 | Africa
27 Dec 02 | Media reports
23 Dec 02 | Africa
28 Dec 02 | Africa
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