Despite what former US Secretary of State John Kerry referred to as “little aberrations here and there”, international observers in Kenya to oversee the election process have so far given their collective nods of approval to the way the voting and counting was conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Over 400 observers from several international groups including the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the United States, and the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) have been in Kenya observing the elections.

Former South African President Thabo Mbeki who heads the AU’s ‘Observer Group’ said the election was in accordance with laws governing the IEBC.

Makumbi Kamya who leads the ICGLR monitors declared himself “satisfied with the conduct of the elections” as being free and fair.

Marietje Schaake, head of the EU’s mission, said they had witnessed “no signs of centralized or local manipulation” of the voting procedures.

John Kerry, who leads the Carter Centre team of monitors said, “we believe that the election’s commission in Kenya has put together a process that will allow each and every vote’s integrity to be proven”.

The IEBC are expected to formally announce the result of the election today.

Official figures give Uhuru Kenyatta a lead of some 1.4 million votes over his main rival Raila Odinga.