▁which ▁had ▁ruled ▁the ▁country ▁from ▁independence ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁being ▁the ▁fourth - larg est ▁party ▁with ▁only ▁ 1 5 ▁seats . ▁Only ▁ 7 1 ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 ▁sitting ▁MP s ▁were ▁re - elect ed , ▁twenty ▁minister s ▁lost ▁their ▁seats ▁and ▁a ▁record ▁ 1 5 ▁female ▁MP s ▁were ▁elected . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁agreement ▁in ▁the ▁international ▁community ▁that ▁the ▁president ial ▁elections ▁were ▁at ▁least ▁partially ▁manip ulated . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁an ▁exit ▁poll ▁commission ed ▁by ▁the ▁US ▁was ▁released , ▁reve aling ▁that ▁Od ing a ▁was ▁predicted ▁to ▁have ▁won ▁the ▁presiden cy ▁by ▁a ▁comfortable ▁margin ▁of ▁ 6 %, ▁ 4 6 % ▁to ▁ 4 0 %, ▁well ▁outside ▁the ▁exit ▁poll ' s ▁ 1 . 3 % ▁margin ▁of ▁error . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁President ial ▁candidates ▁Inc umb ent ▁president ▁M w ai ▁K ib aki ▁declared ▁his ▁intention ▁to ▁run ▁for ▁re - e lection ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁although ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁declared ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁elections ▁that ▁he ▁needed ▁only ▁one ▁term ▁as ▁president . ▁On ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁K ib aki ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁run ▁as ▁the ▁candidate ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁al liance ▁called ▁the ▁Party ▁of ▁National ▁Unity , ▁which ▁would ▁include ▁a ▁number ▁of