Kenyan herders in the country?s arid north trekked for miles to vote yesterday in parliamentary polls seen as the biggest test of President Mwai Kibaki?s political popularity before a 2007 general election.

Voters turned up early at polling booths in the western town of Nakuru and four constituencies in Northern province, a drought-hit region of sandy plains and thorn trees, to fill posts left vacant by lawmakers killed in an April plane crash.

They died on a trip to mediate between communities fighting over pasture, water and cattle in Kenya?s conflict-ridden north, accused of neglect by the Nairobi-based government.

?I came to vote early because I want my candidate to win. I believe he?s going to bring peace in this district,? said Abdurahman Kochore from the northeastern outpost of Marsabit.

Election officials said voting had started peacefully, with results from Nakuru expected later yesterday. The other results were due later this week because of the north?s remoteness, cut off as it is by poor roads and few communication lines.

Analysts say the vote is Kibaki?s greatest test since suffering a humiliating referendum defeat in November 2005, when Kenyans overwhelmingly rejected a new charter he had backed. The vote is largely seen as a contest between the National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya (NARC-Kenya), a party supported by Kibaki allies, and opposition Kenya African National Union (KANU) and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Although Kibaki has not openly declared his membership of NARC-Kenya, an off-shoot of his ruling coalition that was launched in June, he attended a campaign rally for the party?s candidate over the weekend in Nakuru.

The move sparked opposition criticism that Kibaki betrayed voters who elected him on a NARC ticket in 2002.

Yesterday?s vote has been marred by calls for the Election Commission of Kenya (ECK) to disqualify NARC-Kenya candidates. Opposition leaders say the government broke the law by using state resources to campaign for them. ?There has been massive use of government resources ... government vehicles, helicopters, and civil servants,? said LDP Secretary-General Joseph Kamotho. ?I wish the ECK would use this as a warning for political parties in the next elections.?

The 2005 referendum defeat marked the start of months of political turmoil in which revelations of graft scandals, a raid on Kenya?s second media house and a security alert involving two Armenian brothers weakened the government.

Despite the onslaught of criticism by opposition leaders and the local media, Kibaki?s popularity seems to be on the mend again with an independent poll last week showing him ahead of likely rivals if a general election was held now. Analysts say Kibaki?s credibility was boosted after he forced out four ministers linked to corruption scandals.