Kenya was hit by a series of terrorist attacks yesterday as millions waited in long queues to vote in the presidential election.

A group demanding independence for the country’s coastal regions launched multiple attacks which killed 19 people.

It was Kenya’s first presidential election since more than 1,000 people died in post-election violence five years ago, and officials have been working to prevent a repeat.

A group of 200 rebels armed with guns, machetes and bows and arrows set a trap for police in the coastal city of Mombasa in the pre-dawn hours. Four officers were hacked to death with machetes.

The rebels – the Mombasa Republican Council – had threatened election day attacks, but police said they were planning a raid “that will see the end of the MRC.”

The MRC believes Kenya’s coast should be an independent country. Their cause, which is not defined by religion, is fuelled by the belief that political leaders in Nairobi have taken the coast’s land for themselves, impoverishing indigenous residents.

The country’s top two presidential candidates condemned the Mombasa attacks. Prime Minister Raila Odinga called it a “heinous act of aggression” during a historic exercise. Rival Uhuru Kenyatta said he was discouraged by the news but he was sure the security situation would be brought under control.

Police said the MRC were trying to stop voter turnout, but the long queues seen across the country also formed in Mombasa. The delays left voters frustrated in the election’s early hours.

Anti-fraud computers that scan thumbprints to identify registered voters were used for the first time and appeared to be greatly slowing the process. Equipment broke down in some polling stations and power blackouts made the technology useless in others. Many voting officials had to resort to going through the old voters’ register.

Official results are not expected until later in the week. A run-off between the top presidential contenders is likely in April, unless one unexpectedly captures more than 50 per cent of ballots from among the pool of eight candidates.

The country’s leaders have been working for months to reduce election-related tensions, but multiple factors make more post-election violence possible.

The tribes of the top two presidential candidates have a long history of tense relations, and 47 new governor races are being held, increasing the chances of electoral problems at the local level.

One big electoral factor is that Mr Kenyatta faces charges at the International Criminal Court for allegedly orchestrating Kenya’s 2007-08 post-election violence. If he wins, the United States and Europe could scale back relations with Kenya, and he may have to spend a significant portion of his presidency on trial at The Hague. His running mate, William Ruto, also faces charges at the ICC.

Mr Odinga’s acrimonious loss to president Mwai Kibaki in 2007 triggered violence that ended only after the international community stepped in. Mr Odinga was named prime minister in a coalition government led by Mr Kibaki, with Mr Kenyatta named deputy prime minister.

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