By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
EAC REPORT
Deputy President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto has been declared the president- elect of Kenya by the country’s Independent Election and Boundaries Commission- IEBC after he won the August 9th presidential election.
Ruto won with 50.4% of the votes against his rival, Raila Odinga, who obtained 48.85%, according to the results released by the IEBC commission chairman Wafula W Chebukati.
Prior to the announciation of the results, four of the seven members of the electoral commission refused to endorse the announcement, saying the results were “opaque”.
“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 vice-chairperson of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
“We are going to give a comprehensive statement… and again we urge Kenyans to keep calm. There is an open door that people can go to court and the rule of law will prevail,” she said.
This was the first time Mr Ruto, 55, had run for president. He has served as deputy president for 10 years, but fell out with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who backed Mr Odinga to succeed him.
In his maiden Speech at the national tally centre in Bomas of Kenya, President – elect, William Ruto pledged to run a transparent, open and democratic country.
He also pledged to work with all leaders in Kenya and his fellow contestants to build an economic, peaceful Kenya.
CONGRATULATIONS William Ruto – #hustler
