Raila confident of poll win

By PAUL JUMA pjuma@ke.nationmedia.com  ( email the author)

Posted  Monday, March 4  2013 at  10:33

In Summary

• The PM said that he was pleased at the large voter turnout, adding that the election was an important activity and expressed optimism it will be peaceful.

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Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) Presidential candidate Raila Odinga cast his vote at around 9:00 am in Kibra constituency and expressed confidence that he will win the elections.

Mr. Odinga, who is Kenya's outgoing Prime Minister, arrived at the Old Kibera Primary School polling station a few minutes before 9 am, accompanied with his wife, Mrs Ida Odinga.

The PM was led directly to the polling booth where he cast his vote, before briefly addressing local and international journalists at the centre.

Voting was interrupted briefly as journalists scrambled to get his remarks.

The PM said that he was pleased at the large voter turnout, adding that the election was an important activity and expressed optimism it will be peaceful.

He said the voter identification kits had failed in some areas, but the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had issued assurance that hitches would be corrected.

Voting began at the station at about 6.40 am but voters, who had woken up early and joined the queue at the station, were agitated by the delay.

However, the exercise started off smoothly once the voting booths were opened.

Voting went on smoothly at the Kibera Social Centre and Raila Education Centre polling stations.

Police have kept vigil, scrutinizing everyone before allowing them into the polling station.

Kibra constituency was carved out of the former Langata constituency, which Mr Odinga represented as MP in the last Parliament.

The queues were long and winding, but IEBC clerks are assisting voters to identify their polling booths to ensure the lines move faster.