Kenya votes in closely watched election race

Kenyans are praying for a peaceful transition of power after almost a decade under President Uhuru Kenyatta, but concerns about vote-rigging linger.

More than 22 million people are registered to vote in an election taking place. (Reuters)

Kenyans have lined up to vote in a high-stakes election, with the East African powerhouse on edge as two political heavyweights battle it out in a fiercely contested race for the presidency.

Kenyans are praying for a peaceful transition of power after almost a decade under President Uhuru Kenyatta, but concerns about vote-rigging linger in a nation still haunted by previous election disputes that descended into deadly violence.

More than 22 million people are registered to vote in an election taking place on Friday, with the economy and corruption key talking points.

Deputy president and erstwhile heir apparent William Ruto, 55, is pitted against Raila Odinga, the 77-year-old veteran opposition leader now backed by his longtime rival Kenyatta after a stunning shift in political allegiances

Polling stations opened from 6:00 am (0300 GMT) and are due to close at 5:00 pm (1400 GMT).

But neither candidates wins more than 50 percent of the votes, Kenya would be forced to hold a run-off for the first time in its history.

READ MORE: Key faces, talking points: What to know about Kenya's presidential election

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Pleas for peaceful vote

Despite mudslinging on the hustings and widespread disinformation, campaigning passed off largely peacefully in contrast to previous polls.

Pressure is on the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure a free and fair vote in all six polls — for the presidency as well as for senators, governors, lawmakers, woman representatives and some 1,500 county officials.

But already, the election has run into some hitches, with six IEBC officials arrested on Monday and the commission suspending several local polls because of erroneous ballot papers.

Both Odinga and Ruto have called for a peaceful vote, but fears remain that if the losing candidate challenges the outcome — as widely expected — the discord could erupt into street fighting.

Security is tight, with more than 150,000 officers being deployed.

The trauma of the 2007 election, which was followed by a horrific bout of politically motivated ethnic clashes that killed more than 1,100 people, still looms large.

And Odinga's challenge to the 2017 election result that saw then foe Kenyatta re-elected was met with a heavy-handed police response that left dozens dead.

The Supreme Court ordered a rerun in 2017, citing widespread irregularities.

No presidential election outcome has gone uncontested since 2002, and there will be an anxious wait for this year's results which are not expected for several days.

READ MORE: Kenya top court rules against president's bid for constitution change

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

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Senate votes to support Finland and Sweden joining NATO

The U.S. Senate approved a resolution Wednesday evening to support Finland and Sweden in joining NATO -- a crucial step in the quest of the two countries to join the 30-member alliance.

The Senate voted 95-1, with Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley voting no and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voting "present."

The vote comes several weeks after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved admitting Finland and Sweden into NATO. Lawmakers were working to approve the matter before their August break.

Finland and Sweden announced their decision to formally join NATO within days of each other in May, ending long-held positions of neutrality in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. They simultaneously submitted their applications on May 18.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, flanked by Paivi Nevala, minister counselor of the Finnish Embassy, left, and Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden's ambassador to the U.S., welcomes diplomats from Sweden and Finland just before the Senate vote to ratify NATO membership for the two nations in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, at the Capitol in Washington, Aug. 3, 2022.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

All 30 NATO members must ratify the accession of the two countries. Seven countries remain.

During Wednesday's vote, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took a veiled swipe at Paul and Hawley in a floor speech, saying, "Their accession will make NATO stronger and America more secure. If any senator is looking for a defensible excuse to vote no, I wish them good luck."

Hawley aligned himself with former President Donald Trump, saying the U.S. could devote more funds and firepower to NATO "or do what we need to do to deter Asia and China. We cannot do both."

Paul has always worked to keep the U.S. out of foreign conflicts. He offered an amendment that most rejected seeking to ensure that Congress' role in authorizing military force would not be usurped by the NATO pact's common defense commitment, known as Article 5.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer poses for a photo with an official delegation from Finland and Sweden in his office in Washington, Aug. 3, 2022.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., applauded the Senate's vote, saying on Twitter that it is "all the more urgent given [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's barbaric, immoral and unjustified war in Ukraine."

President Joe Biden thanked a number of senators, including Schumer and McConnell, for moving the ratification process along quickly.

"This historic vote sends an important signal of the sustained, bipartisan U.S. commitment to NATO, and to ensuring our Alliance is prepared to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow," the president said in a statement.

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Tunisia votes on new constitution bolstering president's grip on power

Voting runs from 6:00 am (0500 GMT) to 10:00 pm at some 11,000 polling stations across the North African country, while there is no clarity yet on when the results will be announced.

The referendum comes a year to the day after Kais Saied sacked the government and froze parliament in a dramatic power grab. (Reuters Archive)

Tunisians have begun voting in a referendum on a new constitution that critics of President Kais Saied fear will hurt the democracy that emerged from a 2011 revolution by handing him nearly total power.

Monday's vote is being held on the first anniversary of Saied's ousting of an elected parliament, when he established emergency rule and began governing by fiat.

Few people were out when polls opened at 0500 GMT, but at Rue Marseilles polling station in downtown Tunis, Illyes Moujahed was first in line, saying Saied was the only hope.

"I'm here to save Tunisia from collapse. To save it from years of corruption and failure," he said.

It is not clear when the results will be announced after polls close at 2100 GMT, but with little apparent enthusiasm for the vote among most Tunisians and a boycott by major parties, analysts expect a 'yes' vote with low turnout.

Around 9.3 million out of Tunisia's 12 million people — civilians aged over 18 — have opted in or been automatically registered to vote, according to the ISIE electoral commission. They include about 356,000 registered overseas.

READ MORE: Tunisian union fears proposed constitution could threaten democracy

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Visible disunity

Under Saied's own rules for the referendum, no minimum level of participation is needed to approve the new constitution. They only stipulate it will come into effect once the final results are published and do not say what happens if voters reject it.

Saied has hailed his changes as the foundation of a new Tunisian republic to put the revolution back on course and end years of political resistance to change and economic stagnation. His foes accuse him of a coup.

While nearly all major political parties and civil society organisations have denounced Saied's unilateral approach to rewriting the constitution and the legitimacy of the referendum, they have failed to build a united front.

Disunity was visible in protests against Saied in recent days. The Ennahda, the biggest party in parliament, took part in a protest on Saturday. Civil society organisations and smaller parties held one on Friday. A party that backed the pre-revolution autocracy held its own on both days.

The protests attracted only small numbers, but rallies organised by Saied supporters have also had only modest attendance and there has been little sign of excitement around the campaign.

Most Tunisians remain focused on the dire economy and rising prices.

However, the economic decline since 2011 has left many people angry at the parties that have governed since the revolution and disillusioned with the political system they ran.

"I don't support Saied, but I will vote 'yes' in the referendum because those protesting against it are the main cause of our problems for the past decade," said Mohammed, a Tripoli resident.

Of the three parliamentary elections and two presidential elections since the revolution, the lowest turnout, of 41 percent, was in 2019 for the chamber that Saied has dissolved.

READ MORE: Leader of Tunisian constitution committee criticises president's draft

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