Kenyan Election: Opposition Reject Ruto Victory

The Kenyan presidential election results are in, and Deputy President William Ruto has been declared the winner.

The nation went to the polls last Tuesday, 9 August, and yesterday (Tuesday, 16 August), Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati announced that Ruto had narrowly won with 50.5% of the total count.

The outcome means there will be no subsequent run-off, a first in the east African country’s history.

However, opposition leader Raila Odinga – who garnered 48.9% of the vote – and his allies rejected the presidential election results and vowed to take the legal route in challenging Ruto’s victory.

“We totally, without reservation, reject the presidential election results,” Odinga told his supporters in the capital of Nairobi shortly after the announcement.

Despite the mostly peaceful voting, four of the seven IEBC electoral commissioners said they could not “take ownership” of the results, lending credence to the opposition’s stance.

The upcoming months will see legal challenges taking place, but for now Kenyans are taking solace in celebrating a successful democratic process.

Image Credit: Source