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People queue to cast their ballots at a polling station in Nairobi yesterday as Kenyans held presidential elections

NAIROBI. – About 19.6 million Kenyans flocked to more than 40 000 polling stations across the nation to cast ballots for the election of the country’s next president yesterday.

Eight candidates were vying for the presidency – incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party, National Super Alliance (NASA)’s Raila Odinga, Cyrus Jirongo of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Ekuru Aukot of the Thirdway Alliance, Mohammed Abduba Dida of the Alliance for Real Change (ARC), and independent candidates Joseph Nyaga, Michael Wainaina and Japheth Kaluyu.

A tight race is expected between Kenyatta, who is seeking a second term, and Odinga, a political veteran intent on becoming Kenya’s fifth president in his fourth attempt at the top job of the nation.

Polling stations opened at around 6am and were supposed to close at 5pm, with voting being extended in areas where more time was needed.

Kenyans over 18-years-old are eligible to vote, but one must be a registered voter to be allowed to cast a ballot.

About 5.2 million Kenyans were expected to vote for the first time, according to the electoral body, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), which also stated that more than half of the registered voters are aged between 18 and 35, reflecting the influence of the group on the presidential election.

Results were expected to start trickling in by yesterday evening, and by today evening, the country’s next president is expected to be known, although the electoral body will have seven days to officially announce the results.

More than 150 000 members of the security forces were deployed for polling day.

The international community is also keeping close tabs on the election in a country considered a bastion of stability in east Africa and a key partner in the fight against the Al-Qaeda-linked Shabaab.

Hundreds of foreign observers, including former US secretary of state John Kerry and former South African president Thabo Mbeki, as well as delegations from the European Union, are overseeing the election.

Meanwhile, one woman gave birth yesterday while in line to vote in general elections and still made sure to vote.

A heavily pregnant Paulina Chemanang was feeling fine as she left to vote early at a polling station in remote West Pokot country, she told local radio Capital FM.

“I had no labour pains, and they just came as soon as I arrived here. I was not feeling anything since yesterday,” she said. Shortly after she arrived, she went into labour, and, with the assistance of bystanders, gave birth to a baby girl while still at the polling station.

After a trip to a local health clinic, she returned and cast her ballot. “Now I am happy, because I have given birth and I have voted,” she told the radio station.

“Having given birth at a polling station is a blessing to me and I thank God.”

Chemanang’s Pokot ethnic group often name their children according to events or seasons, and she said she had named her daughter Chepkura, which refers to the elections in Swahili. – Xinhua/AFP/HR.