Jokes on social media as voters wait for results

By Ng’ang’a Mbugua jmbugua@ke.nationmedia.com and Collins Nabiswa cnabiswa@ke.nationmedia.com  (email the author)

Posted  Tuesday, March 5  2013 at  20:37

In Summary

• Writing under the josemathenge handle, one tweep observed: “These votes are laying their way in so frustratingly. @IEBC better sort it out. We need to get from #Decision2013 to #Presidentelect”.
• Jibes aside, some of the comments made on social media were more reflective, drumming home the need for sobriety.

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Kenyans on Tuesday took to Twitter and Facebook to let off steam after Monday’s General Election as they waited for the final results to be released.

Besides poking fun at some candidates, they also took broadsides against the media and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

Writing under the josemathenge handle, one tweep observed: “These votes are laying their way in so frustratingly. @IEBC better sort it out. We need to get from #Decision2013 to #Presidentelect”.

He was voicing the frustration that was beginning to creep in due to delays in the release of provisional results from various counties.

On the high number of spoilt votes, PrettyNjambi asked: “So a Kenyan would rather stand in the hot sun for four hours not to elect anyone but to spoil a vote?”

One television journalist, while retweeting a message from one of her followers, reported that two foreign correspondents were spotted at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport going back to their home countries.

One, according to the tweet, was overheard telling his boss on the telephone: “Sir, there is nothing to report here, I am coming home.”

Also coming in for a rap was the Metro of UK, which on Tuesday published a report on the violence that rocked Mombasa on Sunday night.

The paper, which is usually distributed free of charge in London trains, had said: “Prime Minister Raila Odinga, a Kikuyu, and his deputy Uhuru Kenyatta from the Luo minority group, condemned the attack”.

Jibes aside, some of the comments made on social media were more reflective, drumming home the need for sobriety.

Felista Wangari, also retweeting a message from @husseinmoha said: “Dear friends, as the results come in, we should not mock or insult unsuccessful candidates...”

However, this did not stop DianaEtabale from quipping: “The people of Kipipiri have finally made the phrase #kimunyamustgo# come true.

Others took a swipe at presidential candidate Abduba Dida claiming that he got two votes in his local polling station though he has three wives.

Another journalist wryly commented that Mr Paul Muite, a lawyer seeking the presidency on a Safina party ticket, has fewer votes than clients.

Mr Muite had the lowest number of votes among all the eight presidential candidates, garnering less than 3,000 of all the votes cast by Tuesday against the leading candidate, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta’s 2.7 million votes.

Others took the time to congratulate winners and among those who received the highest number of mentions on Twitter was Ms Mary Wambui, who will be succeeding President Kibaki as the MP for Othaya.

Ms Wambui of TNA won the seat with 16,285 votes against GNU’s Peter King’ara who garnered 14,218 votes.

On Facebook, journalists were discussing their colleague, Mr Ayub Savula, who won a parliamentary seat.

Others commiserated with “comedians” Joshua Kutuny and Bifwoli Wakoli, both former MPs who failed to defend their seats.

The two were known for their antics on the podium during the tenth Parliament.

Also providing a talking point on Facebook was the story of a presidential running mate who failed to vote for his presidential candidate.

The polling station where he voted allegedly did not have even one vote cast in favour of his party’s flagbearer.

However, the authenticity of the report could not be independently verified.

News kiosk

World news outlets focus on Kenya

The Guardian (UK)

If violence is avoided there will of course be relief, and a sense of achievement. But in important ways, Kenya will still not have moved on.

Politicians are still campaigning largely on the basis of ethnicity and not on issues, including class, an important matter when most politicians are rich and most voters poor.

Deflecting tension is the most fundamental of the country’s problems.

The Economist (UK)

Kenya has a good chance of avoiding a national meltdown so long as the winning margin in the election is large enough.

If it becomes hard to tell who has won — especially amid allegations of rigging — and the judiciary and security forces act unfairly, then trouble will loom.

The more likely scenario after the first round is a series of legal challenges that will push back the run-off to May.

NY Times (US)

Preliminary results showed that voters, who poured into the polls on Monday, some waiting for 10 hours, voted overwhelmingly along ethnic lines, with some areas voting 98 per cent for the leader from their ethnic group.

Many shops in Nairobi remained shut, with people worried about riots once the final results are declared and a winner and loser become apparent.

Bloomberg

The vote is seen as a test of stability for East Africa’s largest economy, which is the regional hub for companies including Google Inc and Toyota Motor Corp.

Economic growth has attracted greater outside interest in the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Foreign investors traded almost half of all shares in 2012 compared with about 10 per cent five years earlier.

Reuters

Although voting passed off broadly peacefully with a big turnout, the real test will be whether the candidates and their backers accept the result, after the disputed 2007 vote touched off ethnic blood-letting that killed more than 1,200 people.

The United States and Western donors have watched the vote closely, concerned about the stability of a nation seen as a regional ally in the fight against militant Islam.

The Telegraph (UK)

Even if widespread violence is avoided, the outcome could still present Britain with a dilemma. Uhuru Kenyatta, a frontrunner for the presidency, has been indicted by the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity.

Our government does not deal with anyone indicted by the ICC, meaning Britain could soon find itself unable to speak to the president of Kenya.

At least 20,000 Britons live in Kenya.