BREAKING: Ruto wins Kenya’s presidential election

Deputy President William Ruto has been declared winner of Kenya’s presidential race.

Ruto, who was Kenya Kwanza (Kenya first) political party candidate, polled 50.5 percent of the vote to defeat the country’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga, in the election held last week.

However, the counting of the ballots has been overshadowed by controversy with Odinga’s camp alleging that the exercise was manipulated.

Also four of the seven members of the electoral commission refused to endorse the results over alleged irregularities in the process.

Read also:Opposition leader Raila Odinga takes early lead in Kenya’s presidential election

Juliana Cherera, the vice-chairperson of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Juliana Cherera, who addressed journalists at a media briefing in Nairobi, said: “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.

“We are going to give a comprehensive statement and we urge Kenyans to keep calm. There is an open door that people can go to court and the rule of law will prevail.”

On his part, the chairman of the country’s electoral commission, Wafula Chebukati, said at a news conference in the capital that he had performed his constitutional duty despite receiving threats from different quarters.

He said: “I took an oath of office to serve this country and I have my done my duty in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the land.”

In his address, the President-elect commended the electoral commission for proper conduct of the election.

He said: “It is a wonderful evening… all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya.”

“To those who have done many things against us, I want to tell them there’s nothing to fear. There will be no vengeance. We do not have the luxury to look back.”

The outgoing President, Uhuru Kenyatta, backed Odinga to succeed him following his disagreement with the deputy president over irreconcilable differences.

The 55-year-old Ruto is expected to be inaugurated in the coming weeks after the country’s constitutional court has examined all the petitions on the election and deliver its verdict.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now