Kenya elections: Latest polls suggest frontrunners Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta in statistical dead heat

Kenya Presidential front runners, Raila Odinga (l) and Uhuru Kenyatta (r). PHOTO/File

As the March 4 election date nears in Kenya, the latest opinion polls have revealed that the frontrunners in the presidential race, Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta are in a statistical dead heat.

According to a poll conducted by Strategic Research, 44.4 percent of voters said they would vote for Odinga while 43.9 percent said they would vote for Kenyatta.

Infotrak Research and Consulting reported that 45.9 percent voters would vote for Odinga, and 44.4 percent would vote for Kenyatta.

While, Ipsos Synovate reported both Odinga and Kenyatta have 44 percent each.

The constitution of Kenya states that a presidential candidate must garner at least 25 percent of the vote in 24 of the 47 counties nation-wide in order to qualify for the presidency. Failure to attain this mark would lead to a second round run-off which would involve the top two candidates in the first round, and should be held within 30 days after the general elections.

The polls were conducted in the period February 14 – 17 and had a margin of error of +/-2 with a confidence level of 95 percent.

Kenya has the largest and most dynamic economy in east Africa, and is projected to grow by 6 percent in 2013.