See the chaotic scenes as Kenya elects new president Kenyatta wins second term in dramatic upset
Kenya has been rocked by a second day of rioting as President Mwai Kibaki’s re-election in a country of 50million people saw a stunning victory.
For the first time in post-independence history, a woman has been elected to the country’s highest office, with the 54-year-old Kenyan first lady and former US vice-presidential hopeful, Janet Mwamba, defeating a former British army lieutenant colonel.
She is only the third woman in east Africa’s largest East African Community (EAC) member to take power after Tanzania’s Tanzania Unity party won the first democratic elections in the country on November 8 last year.
But she has already been met with opposition by the US, which called for a full recount of the vote, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations calling for a “free and fair” election, and the British government, which asked the EAC to do a review.
A BBC reporter who was at the voting stations saw a sea of red as protesters began to gather, accusing Mr Kibaki of fraud. The country’s police officer-general, Peter Nkwanyana, said the rioting appeared to be an attempt to disrupt the vote.
“I saw that they were coming to disrupt the democratic process and I have taken the necessary action to ensure that we continue to hold our elections,” he told a news conference in Nairobi.
“Once again I have to say that we all stand united. We must not allow our voices to be silenced.”
The protesters shouted at the officers: “The people want peace… they want Kenyatta, not Kibaki.”
Voter turnout of 52% looked to be the highest in the history of the country.
Ms Mwamba had enjoyed support from the ruling party and was considered the favourite