Ruto declared winner of Kenya’s presidential election as results questioned

Deputy President William Ruto was declared the winner of the close presidential election in Kenya over five-time contender Raila Odinga, amid drama and disagreement across parts of the Kenyan capital.
Wafula Chebukati, chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), announced that Ruto had won the election with 50.49% of the vote to Odinga’s 48.85%. This has been hailed as a triumph for the man who shook up politics by appealing to struggling Kenyans on economic terms and not on traditional ethnic ones. But a majority of the commission said they could not stand by the result, leaving voters confused and on edge in a country with a history of post-election violence. Four of its seven members have rejected the upcoming presidential election results, according to the electoral commission’s deputy chairwoman, who also said that the independent body was under intense pressure after six days of waiting.
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 the 77-year-old longtime opposition figure Odinga will again go to court to contest the results of Tuesday’s peaceful election in a country crucial to regional stability. Disappointment reverberated across many parts of Nairobi, widely considered an Odinga stronghold. The next president will be expected to tackle the country’s massive debt, soaring inflation, a drought in the north that has left millions hungry and increasing youth unemployment.