Kenyans turned out in large numbers Tuesday in the city of Kisumu to vote in mock US elections, which organizers unsurprisingly said looked set to crown Barack Obama.

None of the rules of a democratic poll were respected in the vote organized by two comedians chanting pro-Obama slogans and carrying cardboard ballot boxes across the city, capital of the region where the US presidential candidate's late father was born.

"Obama is leading," said Lawrence Onyango, a ballot strapped to his neck.

"The turnout is huge. The crowd was overwhelming," he added.

He said around 1 500 ‘voters' had cast their ballots by noon local time and Obama looked poised to trounce his Republican rival John McCain and that tallying would start later in the day.

"There are a lot of people on the Obama side, but McCain is also getting some votes," said Milton Obote, the second poll organizer.

"We organized these elections to bring peaceful celebration no matter the outcome," he told AFP.

Nicolas Okoth was a rare resident who confessed to casting his ballot for McCain.

"The whites helped us, they colonized us, brought us education and know-how... I support Obama but you cannot vote for two people," he quipped.

Kisumu was badly hit by the violence that occurred in various parts of the country following the disputed December 27 polls and many residents were enjoying the joke on Tuesday knowing that their vote would be of no consequence.

"He is going to win. It will not be like here," said Dominic Onyango referring to the disputed tallying process in the December polls which many blamed for the chaos following the elections.