What you need to know of the Kenya election as at August 8

Raila Odinga , William Ruto, David Mwaure Waihiga, George Wajackoyah

The four presidential candidates in the August 9, 2022 election. From left: Raila Odinga (Azimio), William Ruto (Kenya Kwanza), David Mwaure Waihiga (Agano Party) and George Wajackoyah (Roots Party). It is one day until the 2022 General Election.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

It is one day until the 2022 General Election. The loud campaigns are now silent, with each presidential candidate, Azimio’s Raila Odinga, Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto, Roots Party’s Prof George Wajackoyah and their Agano Party counterpart David Mwaure preparing for Kenyans’ decision. All of them resorted to God and worshipped Him Sunday, except for the wild card, ganja-loving Prof Wajackoyah.

An MP’s vehicle in Meru was burnt Saturday night and three of his workers went missing.

President Uhuru Kenyatta may be going home after tomorrow’s polls, but his final words may not go home with him as he pleaded with his Mt Kenya kinsmen to vote for Raila Odinga at the weekend.

Here is all you need to know about Kenya's election as of August 8.

President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking to journalists at State House

President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking to journalists at State House, Nairobi on August 7, 2022 during an interview across all television and radio stations that broadcast in Mt Kenya region.

Photo credit: PSCU

MP’s vehicle torched, three aides missing

Police in Mikinduri, Meru County, are investigating the burning of Tigania East MP Gichunge Kabeabea’s vehicle on Saturday night.

The Toyota Prado was burnt to a shell by unknown persons near the Thiiti bridge, about one and a half kilometres from Mikinduri town.

Mr Kabeabea blamed the incident on one of his opponents, claiming his team had earlier in the day been pelted with stones by goons while campaigning in Athwana.

They shifted to Mikinduri and parked the vehicle on the side of a road and embarked on a door-to-door campaign targeting small groups of people.

They were alerted that the SUV had been torched and found it engulfed in a huge blaze when they returned to find out what was happening.

Raila, Ruto turn to God in final stretch to Tuesday poll

The leading presidential candidates – DP Ruto of Kenya Kwanza Mr Odinga of Azimio – Sunday sought divine intervention in their bids to win Tuesday polls.

Following the closure of campaigns on Saturday, Dr Ruto and Mr Odinga attended separate Sunday services in Nairobi, where they expressed optimism they would win the presidential race.

Dr Ruto, who was with Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, among other Kenya Kwanza leaders, attended a service at Jesus Teaching Ministry (JTM) in Kayole.

On the other hand, Mr Odinga, with his wife Ida, running mate Martha Karua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and ODM secretary-general Edwin Sifuna and others attended prayers at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

The DP used biblical quotes to hit at his opponents, whom he faulted for taking refuge in the “deep state and the system”, arguing that God will hand him victory.

“The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way,” the DP said, quoting Deuteronomy 28:7.

Raila, Ruto turn to God

Azimio Presidential candidate Raila Odinga with his running mate Martha Karua (left) at a church service at the KICC, and Kenya Kwanza's William Ruto together with Nairobi UDA gubernatorial candidate Johnson Sakaja at Jesus Teaching Ministry (JTM) in Kayole on August 7, 2022.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group & DPPS

IDPs call for peaceful elections

As Kenya heads to the August 9 elections, some of the integrated internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the slums of Ponda Mali in Nakuru West are apprehensive.

They said they had not been paid their dues even after pursuing the matter with the outgoing Jubilee administration.

A majority of the IDPs said that for that reason, they will not participate in the polls. They appealed to President Kenyatta to ensure they are paid before he hands over the baton of power to the next President.

Some of them expressed fears about rising tension in the region as they recounted the harrowing tribulations and the killings they witnessed in the 2007/2008 post-election violence in the densely populated slums.

They claimed some residents had started fleeing the area and were heading to their rural homes in Western Kenya after leaflets warning some communities to leave before the elections were found scattered in the neighbouring Kaptembwa slums.

I will shake hands with Ruto after the elections, Raila says at final Azimio rally

Mr Odinga on Saturday made his final submission to voters, with a call to Kenyans to vote for him on Tuesday even as he pledged to continue with the spirit of the handshake and shake hands with either the winner or the loser of the election.

Speaking to thousands of his supporters at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, to listen to his final speech, Mr Odinga said the country was at an “inflection point”.

He said Kenyans will on Tuesday have a chance to decide on their destiny, adding that the Azimio coalition is the only ticket able to protect the gains of the previous administration while also fighting for a better future for all.

“Fellow Kenyans, Wangari and Amolo are not simply running to win an election. We are running to make Kenya a first-class global democracy and economy. We are running to build a Kenya of hope and opportunity, a Kenya not of 45 individual tribes but one big Kenyan tribe,” he said.

Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga

Azimio la Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga arrives at the Kasarani Stadium on August 6, 2022 for his last campaign rally before elections.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

DP Ruto makes final appeal to voters ahead of tomorrow’s elections

By the time DP Ruto climbed the stage at Nyayo National Stadium for the last of his presidential campaign rallies in the city before the elections on Tuesday, the atmosphere had already been set for a raucous response to his speech.

He did not need to talk, and in fact didn’t for a few seconds as the crowd chanted “Ruto! Ruto! Ruto!”.

The DP appeared delighted. Oh yes, he did. There was a tiny glint in his eye as he peered into the crowd going wild for him just below his feet and let out a charming smile.

If he had come here looking for acceptance and a stamp of approval, he had received it. Earned it.

Speaker after speaker had before him stoked the embers of the “hustler” movement, promising to end what he called the suffering caused by the Jubilee administration.

He called President Kenyatta a few colourful names, and repeated the claim Mr Odinga is a state-sponsored project.

Vote for Raila as you bid me goodbye, Uhuru to Mt Kenya

President Kenyatta on Saturday drummed up support for Mr Odinga and cautioned the region against electing DP Ruto, his deputy.

The Head of State, while commissioning projects in Murang’a and Nyeri, claimed the rest of the country was aligned to the Azimio coalition, saying Central Kenya risks being left out if they elect leaders aligned to Dr Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza.

“Believe me or not, the game will be won by Raila and Martha. Ensure you elect leaders under the Azimio coalition,” Mr Kenyatta said in Nyeri as he officially opened Mwai Kibaki Hospital.

Uhuru says he’s sure of an Odinga win

The President sought to defend himself against claims that he intended to remain in power through the Azimio coalition.

“I have come to bid you goodbye but also to demystify the lies said about me. You were misled that I wanted to retain power through the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI),” he said.

“However, what we wanted was the populous Mt Kenya region to enjoy an equitable share of resources compared to areas with lower populations.”

Kenya Kwanza, Azimio hatch plans for maximum voter turnout

Azimio and Kenya Kwanza have instructed their grassroots officials to take charge of voter mobilization, in a strategy referred to as ‘adopt-a-polling-station’.

The two formations have also instructed their candidates for governor, senator, woman rep, MP and county assembly seats to deploy their machineries and networks to mop up voters in a new battle for high turnout on Tuesday.

Counties like Kisumu have ordered bars and other entertainment joints to close until after voting, in a push to ramp up numbers in the region. Other regions are also encouraging service providers like shopkeepers and boda boda riders to only attend to those who have cast their ballot.

Strategists of both DP Ruto and his main rival, Mr Odinga, believe the polls will be won on high turnout in respective bastions. ODM chairman John Mbadi yesterday revealed that Mr Odinga had instructed him to coordinate the adoption of polling stations by party officials in Nyanza.

Mr Mbadi said some of the party luminaries had been withdrawn from the national campaign to focus on firing up the traditional bases for high voter turnout.

He led a team that visited nearly all the constituencies in Luo Nyanza to rally them to turn out in large numbers and vote for ODM candidates.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) secretary-general Veronica Maina said they had appealed to their candidates and supporters to assist the elderly and the sick to get to the polls.