What Uhuru, Raila said after voting
A combined picture of Jubilee candidate President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) and National Super Alliance flag bearer Raila Odinga casting their votes at different polling stations on August 8, 2017. PHOTOS | JEFF ANGOTE | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his rival Raila Odinga are both confident of winning the General Election.
Speaking after casting his vote at Mutomo Primary School in Gatundu South Constituency, President Kenyatta said that he is confident that he will beat Mr Odinga, saying he believes that he has run a campaign that was sufficient to convince the electorate to re-elect him.
He reiterated that after casting their votes, Kenyans should go home and wait for the announcement of the results.
Mr Odinga too was confident of winning, saying he has only prepared one speech, that of victory.
TALLYING
He told his supporters to go to Uhuru Park later in the day after voting to wait for the counting of the votes at the end of the tallying exercise.
"We will all go to Uhuru Park at 6pm to wait for the counting of the votes," he said.
President Kenyatta, who addressed the media after casting his vote at shortly before midday said he was positive about the whole exercise.
"I feel very positive, we (Jubilee) have run a very positive campaign telling Kenyans what we have done, what we intend to do (if re-elected), and I believe Kenyans have the ability to choose and reflect on the direction that they want us to go…
“…I believe they want us to move forward, they want us to continue living in peace harmony and unity and I believe they want us to have progress and I believe they will give Jubilee an opportunity to continue with the agenda that we have started for this country," President Kenyatta said.
PEACE
President Kenyatta, who was accompanied by First Lady Margaret and children asked Kenyans to maintain peace during and after the voting exercise.
Mr Odinga, speaking to journalists earlier at his Karen home expressed confidence of winning.
"I have a universal speech because I am confident that I am going to win but in the unlikely event that I lose, I don't need a speech as I will speak from the heart," said Mr Odinga.
On Nasa's parallel tallying centre, Mr Odinga said it was ready to go and chided those who raided a backup centre in Nairobi saying that the act was 'an exercise in futility' as they have many backups.
BACKUP
"Our tallying centre is ready to go. I am sure they are looking for it to stop it like they did last time but it would be an exercise in futility. We have so many backups even in the clouds," he said.
On the voting exercise, Mr Odinga said the exercise was going on smoothly but asked the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to look into areas which have reported hitches such as Samburu, Garissa and parts of Wajir.
"Generally in most parts of the country they are saying the process is alright but there are a few areas where they are saying the process is slow, some opened late and others lost like two hours.
"In Garissa they are saying that the process is very slow and with the place likely to get hot, voters are likely to get frustrated. IEBC should do something about it," said the ODM party leader.
