Kenyan president vows to hand over power if defeated

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By CGTN Africa

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to hand over power peacefully should he be defeated in the upcoming elections.

Kenya is due to hold its general election on August 8, with President Uhuru seeking a second and final term.

Kenya's incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses supporters during his campaign tour seeking for a re-election at Changamwe constituency, Mombasa, on July 19, 2017. /VCG Photo

In a Q&A session he conducted on Facebook, the 55-year-old gave assurances that he would hand over power should he lose, but made it clear that his main opponent Raila Odinga had to defeat him first.

“Raila has to defeat me first, but I intend to defeat him,” a smiling Uhuru said.“If the will of the people is that another should be given the opportunity to continue, I will do everything in my power to ensure a smooth transition.”

President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta speaks during the opening ceremony on day one of the IAAF U18 World Championships at the Kasarani Stadium on July 12, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. /VCG Photo

The presidential race has attracted a total of eight candidates, though pollsters predict a tight race between President Uhuru and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

This is Odinga's fourth time running for president, coming closest in 2007, when he and many observers maintained that he secured the most votes even as Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner.

President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta speaks during the opening ceremony on day one of the IAAF U18 World Championships at the Kasarani Stadium on July 12, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. /VCG Photo

The East African country has a population of about 46 million people, with more than 19.6 million registered voters.

The president of Kenya is elected through a two-round system. For a candidate to win in the first round, they are required to obtain a 50% + 1 votes, as well as 25% of the votes in at least 24 of the 47 counties.