Kenya’s elections chief declared Deputy President William Ruto the winner of a tight presidential race on Monday but some senior election officials disowned the result, fuelling fears of violence like that seen after previous disputed polls.
Hailing the electoral commission as “heroes”, Ruto said “There is no looking back. We are looking to the future. We need all hands on deck to move forward.”
The 55-year-old had made Kenya’s class divisions the centrepiece of his campaign to become Kenya’s fifth president, promising to reward low-income “hustlers” and pouring scorn on Kenya’s political dynasties.
That was a barely veiled jab at his opponent Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta, son of the nation’s first vice president and president, respectively.
Ruto, who heads the Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) Alliance, had appeared to be leading long-time opposition leader Odinga as Kenyans awaited final results of the election held nearly a week ago.
Minutes before the chairman of the electoral commission Wafula Chebukati announced that Ruto had won the vote, his deputy Juliana Cherera had told media at a separate location that she and three other commissioners disowned the results.
“We are not able to take ownership of the results that will be announced, because of the opaque nature of this last phase of the general election,” she said.
The electoral commission has seven commissioners.
Diplomats and international observers were whisked out of the tallying hall before Chebukati spoke, as scuffles broke out.
Before announcing Ruto as the winner, Chebukati said two commissioners and the electoral commission’s Chief Executive had been injured and were being treated.
Chebukati said Ruto had won 50.49% of the vote, against Odinga’s 48.5%.
The winning candidate must get 50% of votes plus one.
Odinga did not attend the announcement.
Amid fears that vote-rigging allegations could lead to bloody scenes like those that followed presidential polls in 2007 and 2017, Cherera urged the parties to pursue any disputes through the courts.
