Oct. 27 (UPI) -- As Kenyan officials continue to count ballots in the presidential election rerun, they said the event was marked by violence in some areas and low voter turnout in general.
Election officials said Friday just 34 percent of registered voters participated in Thursday's vote.
Incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta ran without significant opposition in the race and is widely expected to win re-election. His win in the previous election, in August, was annulled by the Kenyan Supreme Court after an investigation found significant irregularities.
In four regions where supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga clashed with police, voting was suspended until Saturday. Odinga withdrew from the race about two weeks before the election, saying no improvements to the voting process had been made.
The Independent Election and Boundaries Commission has seven days to certify the new results.
Thursday's was sharply lower than the August voter turnout, in which 80 percent of eligible voters participated. Odinga discouraged his supporters from voting, and the low turnout could be attributed to fear of violence, fatigue over the election and a loss of faith in the electoral process.
Protesters threw rocks at police, mainly in areas of Kenya where Odinga has strong support. One was shot and killed by police in the town of Bungoma, where demonstrators blocked roads. Another, a teenage boy, was killed in clashes with police in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu.
More than 40 people died in clashes with police during the August election.
