Long lines of voters were stretching through streets across Nairobi as polling stations opened for Kenya’s closely contested presidential and parliamentary elections on Tuesday, August 8.

At one Nairobi polling station an elderly lady was welcomed with applause and cheers as she was led past the long line to cast her ballot.

Many people waited through the night, with local reporters sharing images of impatient voters jumping fences as soon as the polling stations opened at 6 am. News website The Citizen reported that several people were injured in a stampede at one Nairobi polling station.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is seeking a second and final term but faces stiff competition from an opposition coalition led by Raila Odinga. The closing week of the election campaign was marred by the murder of election official Chris Msando and claims of vote-rigging. Credit: Twitter/xtiandela via Storyful