By Spy Uganda Correspondent
The latest breaking news coming in live from our correspondences in Kenya indicates that Deputy President William Ruto has won veteran opposition candidate Raila Odinga in the 2022 Presidential elections.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati made the announcement at the Bomas of Kenya on Monday, August 15, 2022 at 6:03PM.
He said Ruto had fulfilled the constitutional requirements after garnering 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast and he achieved the minimum number of 39 counties at 25%.
“In accordance with the Constitution and the law, chairperson of IEBC hereby declare that Ruto William Samoei has been duly elected as the President of the Republic of Kenya under the provision of Article 138 of the Constitution of the Presidential election held on August 9, 2022,” said he said.
Chebukati presented the certificate of presidential results to Ruto to wild cheers from his supporters.
He was accompanied by deputy president-elect Rigathi Gachagua and his wife Rachel Ruto, who is the First Lady designate.
There was drama before Ruto was declared the winner that saw four electoral officials disowning the results before a terrible fight erupted at Bomas National Tally Centre.
Azimio la Umoja Presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s chief agent, Saitabao Ole Kanchuri, intimated that the systems used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to tally the results of the presidential contest were compromised ahead of the official announcement by the electoral body.
Ruto’s victory is a sharp stab in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s back who endorsed Odinga.
Ruto and Kenyatta had formed a loose alliance in 2013 that saw them control State House for two terms. However in 2018 following the famous “handshake” Uhuru ditched Ruto for Odinga.
Ruto also becomes the first presidential candidate in Kenya to to win the election at the first time of asking. Kibaki failed in 1997 while Kenyatta failed in 2002.
Odinga’s loss means he has lost against four of Kenya’s five presidents. In 1997 he lost to Arap Moi, in 2007 he lost to Mwai Kibaki, in 2013 and 2017 he lost to Uhuru Kenyatta, now he has lost to Ruto, who was his running mate in 2007.
Hundreds of police officers in riot gear were seen patrolling the streets of Nairobi, fearing an eruption of violence.
Raila has always insisted that if he loses the election, he will accept the results. It remains to be seen whether he will appeal the result like he did in 2013 and 2017.
Ruto is expected to be sworn in two weeks from now in case there is no legal challenge to his election. He will govern with Rigathi Gachagua as his deputy.
The election was a test for Kenya with many recalling post-election violence that led to deaths of over 1,000 people in 2007.
However, this time, civil society observers, police, religious leaders and others have described this election as peaceful.
