VOA标准英语2013--Vote Counting Underway After Big Voter Turnout in Kenya

 

Vote Counting Underway After Big Voter Turnout in Kenya

Voters began lining¹ up in the early morning hours at this polling station in Gatundu.

Huge turnout across the country overwhelmed polling stations, and many, like Lucas Nganga, waited hours to vote.

“This is the first election after the inauguration² of the new constitution," said Nganga. "And this is why it’s a democracy that’s going to work, because it’s a majority that’s going to decide for the next government.”

With a new constitution in effect since 2010, Kenyans are for the first time voting for new elected positions including senators, governors and women’s representatives.

But the main focus is on the presidential race.

Presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta voted in Gatundu Monday.

Kenyatta is facing charges at the International Criminal Court that he helped organize the violence that erupted after the last election in 2007.

He said this election should be about peace.

"Kenya will be there after this election and it is for all of us to understand that, and to understand that peace and our unity³ as a nation is the most important and critical aspect," said Kenyatta. "Any issues that one may have, there is due process, there are the courts and everything else, which we should follow as opposed to inciting⁴ our supporters one way or the other.''

In Nairobi, another presidential candidate, Prime Minister Raila Odinga also cast his ballot⁵.

He and Kenyatta are neck and neck in recent polls, but both predict victory.

"I am very confident that we are going to win these elections in the first round," said Odinga.

An early-morning attack on police threatened to disrupt voting in Coast Province. Several police officers were killed in the violence blamed on a separatist organization that has boycotted⁶ the vote.

Now the vote count is underway at the national election center in Nairobi.

Results are being sent in from polling centers around the country and being tabulated⁷ here.

The winner will be announced when all the votes are in. If no candidate in the presidential race gets more than 50 percent, the race will go to a run-off in April. 

1 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

4 inciting   

刺激的，煽动的

参考例句：

• What are you up to inciting mutiny and insubordination? 你们干吗在这里煽动骚动的叛乱呀。
• He was charged with inciting people to rebel. 他被控煽动民众起来叛乱。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

7 tabulated   

把（数字、事实）列成表( tabulate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Results for the test program haven't been tabulated. 试验的结果还没有制成表格。
• A large number of substances were investigated and the relevant properties tabulated. 已经研究了多种物质，并将有关性质列成了表。