The Latest: Kenyan vote observers concerned about fairness

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Latest on Kenya's presidential election (all times local):

2 p.m.

The head of a Kenyan observers' group says the Oct. 26 repeat presidential election faced challenges that were "not conducive" for a free and fair process.

Regina Opondo, chair of the Elections Observation Group, told Kenyan television on Wednesday that "the environment was not secure" in some areas during the vote, which the main opposition group boycotted.

Opondo says it is doubtful that Kenya's election commission was able to conduct "significant and comprehensive voter education" ahead of the vote, a rerun of the August election that was nullified by the Supreme Court over irregularities.

The Elections Observation Group says ruling party representatives were present in 80 percent of polling stations that the group observed, while representatives from other parties were at just under 3 percent of those stations.

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12:55 p.m.

Kenyan ruling party lawmakers are appealing for calm amid ethnic tensions in a rural area following last week's election, which was boycotted by the main opposition group.

The lawmakers on Wednesday noted reports that opposition supporters have blocked roads and hurled stones at vehicles around the border of Kisumu County, an opposition stronghold whose residents are mainly from the Luo ethnic group, and Kericho County, a Kalenjin area that supports the government.

Hillary Kosgei, a Kalenjin lawmaker from Kericho, is condemning the unrest as a "direct invitation to violence" between the factions.

Police say a Luo man was hacked to death in the area last week.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner of the Oct. 26 election by an overwhelming margin after opposition leader Raila Odinga refused to participate.