Kenya: President Kibaki closes poll gap on opposition

(SomaliNet) A new survey from Kenya’s, leading pollster on Friday showed that Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has closed the gap on opposition leader Raila Odinga to just four percentage points before next month\'s election.

According to the analysts the Kenyan incumbent is expected to make a comeback in polls after six weeks of intense, daily campaigning in towns and villages across the east African nation, during which he has sought to shake off his aloof image.

The latest Steadman poll gave Odinga 45 percent and Kibaki 41. The firm\'s last poll two weeks ago had Odinga on 50 percent versus 39 for Kibaki, and other surveys had shown a similar gap.

About 14 million Kenyans are eligible to go to the polls on December 27 in what could be Kenya\'s closest election ever.

With violence marring some campaign rallies in recent weeks - mainly from groups of youths hurling rocks at rival party supporters - Kibaki called on Kenyans to avoid the sort of bloodshed that has characterised past elections.

\"I take this opportunity to condemn recent incidences of electoral violence,\" Kibaki told a meeting of aspiring parliamentary candidates for his Party of National Unity (PNU).

\"I urge the youth in particular, and all Kenyans in general, to desist from militancy... We must ensure a truly democratic environment in which voters will make their choices freely.\"

While the flamboyant Odinga, 62, differs greatly in style from the more measured Kibaki, analysts say neither would change the fundamentals of Kenyan economic policy.

In other fields, they are largely promising similar policies - such as improvements to infrastructure and free secondary education - although they differ on devolution of power and resources, with Odinga in favour and Kibaki against.

Analysts say Kibaki\'s bid to paint Odinga\'s devolution plans as sure to inflame tribalism had also helped the president.

The president, who took power in 2002 after defeating the party of former leader Daniel arap Moi, draws strongest support from his Kikuyu tribe, Kenya\'s largest.

Odinga, who was a minister in Kibaki\'s government until being sacked for campaigning against him in a 2005 referendum, comes from the western Luo ethnic group.

He leads the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

Kibaki, in his speech on Friday, addressed damaging squabbling among parliamentary aspirants in his PNU coalition, which includes about 14 political parties.

\"Let us all strive to bond ourselves into an effective team with a single mind to winning the December 27th elections,\" he said. The PNU is due to publish its manifesto on Saturday.

Kibaki also urged election losers to accept the outcome to avoid the sort of post-poll disputes that frequently dog African elections.

\"In every election, there are bound to be winners and losers. I appeal to those who will lose to respect the will and decision of the voters,\" he said.-Reuters