🔴 RUTO IS THE 5TH PRESIDENT OF KENYA

🔵 FINAL RESULTS – KENYA ELECTION

✳ William Ruto – 50.49% ➡ 7,176,141 votes
✳ Raila Odinga – 48.85% ➡ 6,942,930 votes

✳ Wajackoyah – 0.44% ➡ 61,969
✳ Waihiga- 0.23% ➡ 31,987

(CLICK TO GO TO LIVE RESULTS)

Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has declared UDA flag-bearer and current Vice President William Ruto as the 5th President of Kenya, after he polled the required 50% + 1 of the votes.

“In accordance to the constitution and the law, I Wafula Chebukati, chairman of IEBC hereby declares that William Samoei Ruto has been duly elected as President of the Republic of Kenya,” announced the IEBC chairman.

The declaration, that was to have happened at 3pm, only took place at 6pm after the Azamio la Umoja team of Raila Odinga refused to sign form 34C. Odinga did not even show up at the main tallying centre in Nairobi.

Azimo La Umoja’s spokesman Saitabao Ole Kanchory early told media that they had failed to sign forms 34C (see details below) because they could not trace IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.

Chebukati, while announcing results, complained of harassment.

“Two of my commissioners are injured, staff have been profiled and one is missing. We have staff arbitrarily arrested….. but we have a constitutional duty to perform,” he said before calling the victory for Ruto with 7,176,141 votes (50.49%).

Ruto rallied behind Chebukati, and praised the IEBC for transparency and standing up for their rights and independence. “IEBC have raised the bar. Chebukati is our hero. He is soft spoken but calm,” he said.

VIDEO

In his victory speech, the President-elect sounded reconciliatory, but said it had been tough getting to the top.

” I know there were predictions that I would not make it to the ballot. My gratitude to God and millions of Kenyans who turned out to vote for us and the millions who have waited until this announcement has been made.”

Kenya on Tuesday held its seventh general election since the introduction of multiparty politics in 1991 where  voters lined to elect the country’s fifth president, members of the National Assembly, senators, and county governors. Kenyans voted for 16,105 candidates vying for a total of 1,879 elective positions.

VIDEO: Constitutional lawyer Kamotho dismisses Odinga camp claims

Celebrations and protests

Immediately after the announcement of the presidential results, protests broke out in some parts of the country, mainly Odinga’s strongholds in western Kenya, the capital Nairobi and the eastern part of the country.

Police in the western Kenyan city of Kisumu, some parts of Nairobi including Kibera and Mathare slums, engaged Odinga’s supporters in running battles to protest the presidential results, alleging irregularities.

Nairobi’s central business district had earlier been deserted as several shops were hurriedly closed amid traffic snarl-ups out of the city.

Ruto, who spoke soon after receiving a certificate to confirm his victory pledged to extend a hand of friendship to political rivals, unite the country and advance shared growth and prosperity.

“The people of Kenya have assigned us a responsibility to execute and I promise to run a transparent, open and democratic government that serves everyone fairly,” said 55-year-old Ruto flanked by immediate family members and political allies.

The announcement was delayed amid scuffles and allegations of vote-rigging by Odinga’s campaign.

Four of the seven members of the electoral commission were absent at the announcement.

“We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced because of the opaque nature of this last phase of the general election,” said Juliana Cherera, the IEBC vice-chairperson.

Cherera said the institution had carried the election process in a fair manner until the final part of tallying the results.

She urged those aggrieved to challenge the results in court.

The sudden split in the commission came minutes after Odinga’s chief agent said they could not verify the results and made allegations of “electoral offenses” without giving details or evidence.

Odinga didn’t come to the venue for the declaration.

It is yet to know whether the 77-year-old veteran opposition politician will go to court to contest the results.

Ruto’s declaration as Kenya’s fifth president-elect followed grueling days of verification of votes transmitted from 46,229 polling stations countrywide, at the national tallying center in the capital, Nairobi. ■