Kenyans choose 5th President Tuesday: will it be Raila or Ruto?

President Kenyatta has told Kenyans to vote for Raila, telling Kenyans that his deputy, Ruto is not trusted, corrupt and not the right man to take Kenyans forward.

By Milton Emmy Akwam

Uganda, August 8, 2022: Kenyans who are eligible to vote will decide who will be their 5th President on Tuesday [tomorrow]. 

The East African nation will see the end of the reign of Uhuru Kenyatta who took charge of the country for two terms.

The son of the former president, Uhuru is behind his former nemesis Raila Amollo Odinga with whom they shook hands and made reconciliation to the utter shock of Deputy President William Someo Ruto. The former Prime Minister, Raila, since the handshake with Uhuru has not been on good terms with Ruto.

Some, including those outside Kenya, had thought after President Kenyatta Ruto would easily be the next Commander in Chief. This notion is possible with voters the only ones to decide who should lead them from the top office.

However, Kenyatta has told Kenyans to vote for Raila, telling Kenyans that his deputy, Ruto is not trusted, corrupt and not the right man to take Kenyans forward.

In June, President Kenyatta attacked Ruto, saying his deputy president keeps “complaining”. “There is nothing you say about what you want to do for this country…. Saying someone has taken your wife. “If indeed your wife has been taken by someone please remarry.”

Opinion polls done by various organizations including top media houses in Kenya have been putting the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga ahead of Ruto. Kenya Kwanza’s Ruto, however, could surprise many after the August 9, elections.

Each of the candidates needs to get 51 percent to be declared President-elect. Kenya has a total of 47 counties.

“Projections suggest that either of the two candidates will need between 8.63 million and 9.6 million of the 22,120,458 registered voters to cast their ballots for him to win the race going by the voter turnouts in the 2017 and 2013 elections,” Nation reported in June.

Last week, head of Commonwealth election observation called for peace among Kenyans ahead of Tuesday’s election. In a joint statement, days later, the same group issued a joint statement and announcing solidarity with the people of Kenya in their desire for peaceful and credible elections.