Kenyans Waiting for Results of Close Presidential Election

By CARA ANNA

An election official holds up ballots for other officials and party agents to see, as they start to count votes at a polling station in Olepolos Primary School, in Kajiado County, Kenya Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022. Polls opened Tuesday in Kenya's unusual presidential election, where a longtime opposition leader who is backed by the outgoing president faces the deputy president who styles himself as the outsider. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenyans are waiting for the results of a close presidential election in which the turnout was lower than usual.

Tuesday’s election was likely the final try by longtime opposition leader Raila Odinga, who on his fifth attempt was backed by former rival and outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta. The other top contender is Deputy President William Ruto, who fell out with the president earlier in their decade in power.

Voters have expressed little hope of real change and frustration with rising prices and widespread corruption in East Africa’s economic hub.

Official election results must be announced within a week of the vote, but there’s some anticipation a winner might be known Wednesday. The electoral commission still must verify results forms coming from across the country.

The commission has said it expected turnout to be above 60%, far lower than the 80% in the previous election in 2017. More than 22 million people were registered to vote.