Nairobi — In the clearest indication yet that the opposition is poised for victory in the Kenyan presidential elections, sources at State House told Reuters they had been given instructions to prepare for the inauguration of a new head of state on Monday.
That date would tally with opposition demands that, should their National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) candidate Mwai Kibaki win, he be sworn in without delay.
Unconfirmed reports said President Daniel arap Moi had summoned senior government and military officials to a meeting Sunday, to plan the swearing-in.
Kenyans voted for a new president, parliament and civic representatives on Friday.
"We are cruising to a fantastic and historic victory," leading opposition heavyweight, and potential future vice president, Kijana Wamalwa, said with almost a third of the vote counted by late Saturday.
Another Narc leader, Raila Odinga, told a news conference Saturday that he had some advice for outgoing President Moi "I think that the most honourable thing to do now is accept defeat and hand over gracefully."
Odinga said: "The Kenyan people have now spoken, and it is with great joy and humility that we accept their trust in president-elect Kibaki and Narc."
Sensing that the presidency is within their grasp, jubilant Narc supporters took to the streets in exuberant joyrides up and down the central avenue running through the heart of downtown Nairobi, the capital.
Many others had their ears glued to the radio, or watched television, following minutely every development in the vote count and results process. Kenyans say they smell change in the air and are delighted to be witnessing history. Commentators are calling the momentous events in Kenya a 'political earthquake.
Partial unofficial results, to be confirmed by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK), gave Kibaki, 71, a commanding lead over his main rival, Uhuru Kenyatta, 41, of the governing Kenya African National Union (Kanu). With more than a quarter of the results in, the Narc candidate had 65 percent of the powerful presidential vote, leaving Kenyatta trailing with 28 percent.
The provisional results for three other presidential hopefuls showed they were not in contention.
The unofficial returns being published by a number of media organisations were compiled by the Institute for Education in Democracy, which is a private think-tank advising ECK. Complete official results were expected to be announced by ECK on Sunday.
International observers have praised Kenyans for the generally peaceful campaign and election on Friday. The Commonwealth delegation, headed by Nigerian diplomat Adebayo Adedeji, said Kenya had held an 'orderly and responsible' poll and showed faith in democratic values. But with its message of congratulations came an appeal for all parties to demonstrate statesmanship and accept the results.
The US State Department echoed the Commonwealth's glowing report, saying both the government and opposition should be given credit for the conduct of the poll. "We have great hope that this demonstration of Kenyan democracy will lead toward economic reform and greater prosperity for the Kenyan people," a statement said.
An opposition victory would herald the end of Kanus 39-year domination of Kenyan politics, which has been challenged democratically only in the past ten years with the return to a multiparty democracy. Fridays landmark polls also guaranteed that, for the first time since Kenya gained independence from Britain in 1963, an incumbent president will hand over power to a duly elected rival.
The country has had only two presidents in its history, the veteran Moi, 78, and his predecessor, Kenyas legendary founding father, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, father of Uhuru Kenyatta, Kanu's candidate.
Anxiety has changed to relief for many Kenyans as they contemplate the end of a period of their history and prepare for a momentous change, under a new leader. Moi, in power for the past 24 years, is obliged by the constitution to step down as president. He repeated his promise on Saturday that he would ensure a peaceful transfer of power, whoever wins.
Moi shrugged when asked for his view on early results that could signal an opposition presidential victory. "Thats the way democracy goes," he said, despite facing the potential poll defeat for Kenyatta, his protégé, anointed successor and Kanu standard-bearer.
Later reports that Moi had given instructions for State House staff to prepare for a swearing-in ceremony on Monday indicated that, contrary to the fears of many Kenyans, he had accepted that Kanu's departure was irrevocable.
George Saitoti, Mois vice-president until his recent defection to the opposition alliance, told reporters that politics in Kenya would be quite different under Narcs leadership. "This is the end of 'Big Man' government. We are going to change the style of running this country. This country is not going to be run only by one person. There will be a great deal of consultation. Our intention is to deal with the problems that Kenyans face today and to see to it that there is change."
Kenyas third president faces enormous expectations and the dual challenge of rebuilding the stagnant 'tea,coffee and tourism' economy and trying to stem corruption, considered the negative legacy of the Moi years.
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Senior cabinet ministers and other high-profile Kanu candidates appeared to be toppling like ninepins after latest tallies. Reports said ten of them, including Mois current vice-president and finance minister, lost their parliamentary seats, indicating Kanus rejection by Kenyan voters.
By late Saturday, Narc was also ahead in the parliamentary vote tally, with 81 of the 210 elected seats, against 34 for Kanu and nine for other minor parties.
Kibaki and Kenyatta, both from the majority Kikuyu tribe, won their parliamentary seats, a requirement of the constitution for anyone seeking the presidential job. A presidential candidate also needs to win more than a quarter of the vote in at least five of Kenyas eight provinces.
Kibaki has campaigned on his image as an experienced statesman, able economist and safe pair of hands for Kenya.
Kenyatta has played up his comparative youthfulness, which he says is a fresh start for Kenya. But he has less successfully played down his relative inexperience and a perception that Moi would seek to manipulate him should he become president.
