Kenyan voters' views: Pauline

Pauline Ngugi, 33, travelled home to Nyeri town for Christmas and to vote, from Kananga in the Democratic Republic of Congo where she works.

Pauline spoke to the BBC News website at 1045 GMT while travelling home after voting.

Pauline was relieved there was no violence where she voted

I already voted - like one hour ago.

It felt great. The turnout was big and it was very peaceful.

I was with one of my sisters.

We only waited for 20 minutes - it was so quick because there weren't many others in the line for those whose surnames begin with 'Ng'.

Earlier this morning I waited at home and looked after all the children while my other family members went to vote.

CENTRAL PROVINCE Political affiliation: PNU (Kibaki) majority Ethnicity: Kikuyu; Meru; Embu Issues: Insecurity; declining agricultural production

Then when they returned, my sister and I went, leaving the children with them.

It's not good to take the children to the polling station - it would be a risk if chaos erupted as is common here in Kenya at election time.

Most of the people in the line were voting for [President Mwai] Kibaki. Our province is where he's from and so it is expected.

I cannot vote for any leader preaching majimbo [federalism in Swahili] Pauline Ngugi, Nyeri town Pauline's pre-poll views

But I was surprised to see that people are becoming more open-minded with their parliamentary choices. Many were open about not voting along tribal lines.

After voting, people were sitting around and chatting.

Nyeri town, which is the administrative capital of Central province, is basically a ghost town. You cannot believe how quiet it is - nowhere is open for business.

And the public transport operators are only allowing people to board if they are either on their way to vote or if they have voted - you have to show them your voters card and ID on the way and then your ink-stained baby finger on your left hand as proof to able to travel home.

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