Kenyan presidential candidate Raila Odinga (C), veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister, makes his final pitch to voters during a public rally in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 6, 2022. Some 22.1 million Kenyans will vote on Aug. 9 to elect, among others, the country's fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). (Photo by Fred Mutune/Xinhua)
NAIROBI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) said Monday that it had finalized preparations for national polls slated Tuesday.
Wafula Chebukati, the Chairman of IEBC said that logistics including deployment of ballot papers, polling clerks and security personnel had been finalized to ensure the voting exercise was devoid of glitches.
"The preparations have been completed to ensure that we deliver credible elections," Chebukati said at a briefing in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.
Kenya will on Tuesday hold its seventh general election since the introduction of multiparty politics in 1991 where some 22.1 million registered voters will elect the country's fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors.
The registered voters who must be over 18 years of age in line with constitutional requirements will troop to 46,229 polling stations countrywide to elect a new group of leaders, the IEBC chairman said.
Chebukati said that tallying of presidential results will be conducted at the constituency, county and national levels, adding that accredited media, election observers and party agents will be given unfettered access to polling stations.
The electoral body, according to Chebukati, has already deployed over 150,000 security officers to enhance security during the polling day while close to half a million temporary staff had been hired to oversee the one-day exercise.
In addition, a toll-free number has been set up by the electoral agency to enable voters and monitoring groups to report malpractices, said Chebukati.
The two leading candidates in the Tuesday elections are veteran opposition leader and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and sitting Deputy President William Ruto.
The elections are hotly contested, with President Uhuru Kenyatta backing Odinga.
The most recent opinion polls have shown a tight race between Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja (Resolution for Unity) One Kenya Coalition, and Ruto of Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) Alliance. ■
Kenyan presidential candidate William Ruto, sitting Deputy President, makes his final pitch to voters during a public rally in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 6, 2022. Some 22.1 million Kenyans will vote on Aug. 9 to elect, among others, the country's fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). (Photo by Joy Nabukewa/Xinhua)
Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), demonstrates the voting process in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 7, 2022. Some 22.1 million Kenyans will vote on Aug. 9 to elect, among others, the country's fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors, according to the IEBC. (Photo by Fred Mutune/Xinhua)
Ballot boxes to be used for Kenya's 2022 general elections are seen at a tallying center in Nairobi, Kenya, Aug. 7, 2022. Some 22.1 million Kenyans will vote on Aug. 9 to elect, among others, the country's fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). (Photo by Joy Nabukewa/Xinhua)