Anxiety in Nyanza as region waits for presidential results

At the Kisii County Tallying Centre at Kisii Polytechnic, police kept vigil with all those without Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission badges kept at bay. Azimio and Kwanza Kenya poll agents remained firm at various constituency tallying centers across the county even as results kept trickling in.

In some parts of the region, a section of residents broke into song and dance after some leaders who were eyeing local seats conceded defeat, hours into the counting exercise. But it is the wait for the presidential results that appeared to draw a lot of attention.

The region is optimistic that Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition presidential flagbearer Raila Odinga has finally cracked the tough jigsaw puzzle to win the State House race.

At Opoda in Bondo, several residents started streaming to his elder brother Oburu Oginga's home which is located a few meters away from Raila's. They broke into song and dance. Oburu exuded confidence that Raila will clinch the presidency and appealed for calm.

He noted that Azimio One Kenya alliance was confident of a win in the race for the top seat while Orange Democratic Movement party will also clinch several seats in the region.

"The exercise has just started. I think that the final results will favour my brother," said Oburu.

Voters queue to vote at a polling station in Kondele, Kisumu County on August 9, 2022. [Collins Oduor, Standard]

In Suna East Constituency, electorates expressed their satisfaction with the August 9 elections.

They said they were happy the elections were done peacefully and that they were patiently waiting for their candidates to be announced winner. Fred Alaro who is a resident of God Jope Ward said he was so happy that people had realized that Kenya needed peace.

He asked his fellow residents to accept any outcome that they would have gotten.

"I have seen those that will become our leaders are near. We are waiting for victory, but we pray for peace," Mr Alaro said.

David Ombohe said he was surprised to see the county being peaceful during the August 9 elections. "I have seen the elections have been peaceful and it doesn't look like we were voting," Mr Ombohe said.