Presidential in Kenya: the candidates at loggerheads

It was from William Ruto (our illustration photo) that the most virulent outings came.

Reuters

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1 min

The campaign for the August 9 presidential election is now in full swing in Kenya.

This weekend, the electoral commission validated the candidacies of the two main candidates, Raila Odinga and William Ruto.

But the week took place in an atmosphere at loggerheads, and against the backdrop of the first allegations of attempted fraud on the part of William Ruto.

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It was from William Ruto that came the most virulent outings.

On Thursday, the vice-president - now a candidate - was receiving the ambassadors of the European Union in his residence, when he surprised his interlocutors by stating that nearly a million names had been removed from the Kenyan electoral register, mainly in his strongholds and accusing President Uhuru Kenyatta's entourage of attempted manipulation and electoral fraud.

A file being consolidated

The President of the Commission quickly denied and recalled that the file was still being consolidated, that certain names could be being transferred from one office to another.

And invited Kenyans to keep calm while waiting for the final file to be published in

the Official Journal.

Polls predict close ballot

Earlier in the week, William Ruto criticized several major media this time for being biased and biased in favor of his opponent, indicating that he would therefore boycott the presidential debate scheduled for July 12, 2022. Saturday, William Ruto softened his tone and said he had "

 confidence 

" in the electoral commission when validating his candidacy.

But observers note that the tone has hardened as polls predict a close election.

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  • Kenya

  • Uhuru Kenyatta