After their electoral campaigns wrapped up on Saturday, the two candidates attended separate Sunday church services in the capital Nairobi and expressed confidence of clinching the presidency.
“As we head to the elections on Tuesday, I’m asking all Kenyans to make peace with each other,” Ruto said.
READ MORE Ruto: ‘[I] will accept the outcome of the election whichever way it goes’
During his final campaign in Nairobi on Saturday, Ruto urged his supporters to turn out in large numbers to vote for him, adding that he will accept the results of the election.
“We want peace, we shall accept the decision of the Kenyan people,” he said.
During a prayer service on Sunday, Raila also called for peaceful elections saying he wants a united country after 9 August.
Mathew 18: 19-20 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” pic.twitter.com/416HnJo7TQ
— Raila Odinga (@RailaOdinga) August 7, 2022
“We will accept the outcome. If we win, we will celebrate and if we lose we will also congratulate the winner because that’s what democracy is all about,” said Raila.
As he was finishing up his campaign in Nairobi, Raila said he is willing to have a second handshake after the results, for the sake of peace. “I’m willing for a second handshake, Kenya is more important than Raila Odinga.”
Ruto welcomed Raila’s remarks saying: “I’m ready to meet him over a cup of tea after the elections.”
The two leading candidates should keep on sending such messages to calm their followers.
Kevin Ochol, a Nairobi-based political analyst, says these final statements from the two leaders come at the right time, and will help lower political temperatures after the results.
“The two leading candidates should keep on sending such messages to calm their followers, “ he said.
Ready for the task ahead
Meanwhile, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) says it is ready for Tuesday’s polls and voting materials have been transported to all the 46,000 voting centres across the country.
On Sunday 7 August, the IEBC conducted a voter simulation exercise explaining to more than 22 million voters what to expect on voting day.
Polling stations will be opened at 6am and closed at 5pm. The voting process is as follows:
- The voter is identified electronically using the KIEMS kit or manual register.
- The voter is issued with six stamped ballot papers
- The voter moves to the booth and marks the ballot papers secretly
- The voter puts the ballot papers in the labelled ballot boxes
- The voter’s finger is marked with indelible ink
- The voter leaves the polling station
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