The running mate of presidential candidate Raila Odinga has called for the count to be halted in Kenya's elections and cast doubt on the fairness of a process that is still incomplete after three days.

Mr Odinga, Kenya's prime minister, is trailing Uhuru Kenyatta in the count.

Running mate Kalonzo Musyoka said his comments were not a call for mass action and he urged voters to stay calm and patient.

Disputes over Kenya's last election in 2007 sparked ethnic violence that killed 1200 people.

"We as a coalition take the position the national vote tallying process lacks integrity and has to be stopped and re-started using primary documents from the polling stations," Mr Musyoka said.

"We have evidence the results we are receiving have been doctored."

Authorities insist the process is fair and the result would not be compromised by the failure of electronic counting technology that has slowed down the tally.

Western donors are watching closely, worried about a nation seen as vital to the region's stability but also fretting about how they might deal with a win by Mr Kenyatta, who is indicted for crimes against humanity over violence after the last election.

Kenyans are hoping this vote will restore the country as one of Africa's more stable democracies and many are determined not to take their differences to the streets but to turn to a reformed judiciary.

If no candidate gets more than 50% of votes in the first round, the top two will go to a run-off next month.