Voters in Kenya have kicked dozens of old-school politicians out of office, including a third of the Cabinet, in an election that incumbent President Kibaki looked set to lose last night.

The final result was still too close to call, but Raila Odinga, 62, a veteran firebrand politician and son of one of the heroes of Kenya’s independence struggle, appeared to be well ahead in the most tightly fought election the country has known.

Three television stations all aired unofficial and partial results showing Mr Odinga in the lead. The private KTN network, which has a reputation for impartiality, reported him on 2.98 million votes against Mr Kibaki’s 2.02 million. That figure, however, represented fewer than half the 8-10 million votes thought to have been cast and many pro-Kibaki areas still have to declare their results.

By 10.15pm local time, the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had released results from only 69 of the country’s 210 constituencies and said that Mr Odinga was leading by 1,691,679 votes to 1,222,725. The delays at the ECK raised concerns of voterigging among grassroots activists and Mr Odinga’s opposition Orange Democratic Movement.

“In this era of technology, it is surprising that ECK seems to be moving at a snail’s pace in satisfying public hunger for information,” a group of civil society organisations said in a joint statement. “ECK must do better, otherwise a situation will be created where sections of Kenyans will dispute the results.”

However, the results have already changed the political landscape in the East African country, a former British colony that gained independence in 1963. One senior politician after another fell to the will of an electorate angry at years of corruption and cronyism. Whoever wins now will have to deal with a parliament changed beyond recognition.

Many commentators believe that more than two thirds of existing MPs, who voted themselves three pay increases in five years to become some of the best-paid politicians in the world, will now lose their seats. The poll has been hailed as the most accurate test of public opinion since the arrival of multiparty politics 15 years ago. More than 12 Cabinet ministers, including Vice-President Awori and the ministers of foreign affairs, information and health, lost their seats, kicked out by voters impatient with corruption, poor service delivery and broken promises.

Another casualty was Wangari Maathai, the internationally lauded environmentalist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She was expected to lose after quarrelling with the President and standing for a minority party, and although fêted abroad, she was attacked by dirt-poor constituents for bringing nothing home.

In results unimaginable during the 24-year rule of the former strongman Daniel arap Moi, who was finally replaced by Mr Kibaki in 2002, Kenya’s old guard politicians — who have swapped horses so many times they are saddle sore — were also swept out of office. Mr Moi’s former éminence grise, Nicholas Biwott, once investigated by Scotland Yard for the unexplained murder in the 1980s of a foreign minister, and Mr Moi’s three sons, Gideon, Jonathan and Raymond, all lost their seats.

“I have travelled all over the world, and the main theme of the people in Kenya is that they want good governance and transparency,” Michael Musili, 30, said. “That is the main theme. People want change, real change.”

Kenyan voters united in 2002 to end the Moi years and bring Mr Kibaki to power, but he earned their displeasure after rehiring many of the previous administration’s officials. Mr Kibaki is still popular in regions where his fellow Kikuyu tribesmen dominate. Analysts do not rule out a late surge but even if he wins, the election will leave him severely weakened.

There were pockets of violence after the vote, but generally people were patient and determined, some waiting for several hours to cast their ballots.

Who are the voters?

40 ethnic groups in Kenya include:
Kikuyu (22% of the population)
Luhya (14%)
Luo (13%)

Source: CIA World Factbook

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