Ruto Remains Front-runner in Kenya’s Election Race, Poll Shows
- Opposition leader Odinga’s campaign seen gathering momentum
- Outcome of contest still highly uncertain, Tifa Research says
William Ruto
Photographer: Tony Karumba/AFP/Getty Images
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Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto maintains his status as the front-runner to win Aug. 9 elections, even as main opposition leader Raila Odinga’s campaign gathers momentum, an opinion poll released on Thursday showed.
Ruto had the support of 39% of 2,033 respondents surveyed by Nairobi-based Tifa Research in late April, up from 38% in February, while 32% said they would back Odinga, up from from 27%. Sixteen percent said they were undecided and 12% declined to express a preference. A candidate needs to win more than half the national vote and at least a quarter of the ballots cast in half of Kenya’s 47 counties to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta.