Kenya readies for post-Moi era

Two enthusiastic Kenyans cast their votes for president.

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NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Kenya's former vice president and finance minister appeared likely to replace longtime President Daniel arap Moi after Friday elections marked by high turnout in some districts, and complaints about missing names on the voting rolls.

Pre-election opinion polls gave Mwai Kibaki, the main opposition candidate, a wide lead over Moi's protege, Uhuru Kenyatta -- the son of Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta.

After 24 years as Kenya's president, Moi pledged Friday he would hand over power to whoever won.

"I have completed my time, and therefore I want to wish the one to whom I am going to hand over well," he said. "I hope the people will respect the verdict and the voice of the people."

Missing names

In an apparent administrative error, about 2 percent of Kenyans found their names either were not on the voting rolls or were listed at the wrong polling places.

"A number of them, we are finding their names," election official Keziah Kinyanjui said. "Some we are finding that perhaps they should go to another polling station."

But other observers reported few problems.

"It's going pretty well. The turnout of Kenyans is massive," election observer Nancy Baraza said. "I'm quite impressed with the civil manner in which they are conducting themselves. They are very, very eager to cast their votes."

Kenya has had only two presidents -- Moi and Kenyatta -- since independence from Britain in 1963. Whoever succeeds Moi will have to deal with a stagnant economy and a populace impatient with widespread corruption.

In addition, Kenya has been the scene of two major terrorist attacks in recent years -- the 1998 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, which more than 200 people, mostly Kenyans; and the November bombing of an Israeli-owned resort hotel in Mombasa that killed 10 Kenyans and three Israelis.

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