William Ruto wins Kenya’s presidential election

Dr. William Ruto has been declared the winner of the neck-and-neck race to lead the East African powerhouse, Kenya by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.

William Ruto has won the race to be the fifth President of the East African nation, according to results announced by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Dr. William Ruto, Kenya’s President-Elect

But, chaos emerged just before the declaration when the electoral commission’s Vice Chair and three other commissioners told journalists they could not support the “opaque nature” of the final phase.

“We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced,” Vice chair Juliana Cherera said. At the declaration venue, police surged to impose calm amid shouting.

Kenya’s electoral commission chairman has declared Deputy President William Ruto the winner of the close presidential election over five-time contender Raila Odinga, a triumph for the man who shook up politics by appealing to struggling Kenyans on economic terms and not on traditional ethnic ones.

However, chaos emerged just before the declaration when the electoral commission’s vice chair and three other commissioners told journalists they could not support the “opaque nature” of the final phase. “We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced,” vice chair Juliana Cherera said. At the declaration venue, police surged to impose calm amid shouting.

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.

Now Kenyans wait to see whether Odinga will again go to court to contest the results of Tuesday’s peaceful election in a country crucial to regional stability. This is likely the final try for the 77-year-old longtime opposition figure backed this time by former rival and outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, who fell out with his deputy, Ruto, years ago.

Kenya’s Outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) and Kenyan President-Elect Dr. William Ruto (R)

Kenya’s electoral commission rejects results

The Kenyan electoral commission’s deputy chairwoman says four of its seven members have rejected the upcoming presidential election results, saying the independent body was under intense pressure after six days of waiting.

“Because of the opaque nature of the process … we cannot take responsibility for the results that will be announced,” said Vice President Juliana Cherera, surrounded by three other commissioners, calling on Kenyans to “calm down, she said this during her announcement to the press on Monday (August 15).

“People can go to court and for that reason we call on Kenyans to be peaceful because the rule of law will prevail,” she added as tension mounted and scuffles broke out in the center where the Commission (IEBC) manages the results.

Kenya’s veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga & closest contender in Tuesday election

By midday, the Electoral Commission’s national counting center in Nairobi, on which the eyes of the entire country are riveted, was filled with party representatives, observers and diplomats, who waited for the announcement for several hours, entertained by choirs, under heavy police surveillance.

On August 9, 22.1 million voters were called to the polls to choose their fifth president. The IEBC has until Tuesday evening to announce the results of this very close election between the two favourites Raila Odinga and William Ruto.