William Ruto Declared President Elect

Monday, August 15, 2022

By Lynette Mukami & Allan Olingo

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chair Wafula Chebukati has declared DP William Ruto Kenya's President elect.

Mr Ruto was declared the winner of a closely fought election after garnering 50.49 percent of the vote against Raila Odinga's 48.85 percent. 

The announcement at the Bomas of Kenya auditorium, which comes six days after Kenyans went to the ballot, was followed by jubilation from the Kenya Kwanza camp. There was also audible disgruntlement from the Azimio camp. 

While Dr Ruto was present at Bomas, Mr Odinga was conspicuously absent.

Disown results

Also conspicuously absent were four IEBC commissioners - vice chair Juliana Cherera, commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang'aya - who have alleged that the results were arrived at in an opaque manner, without giving further details. 

"We are not at Bomas because we cannot take ownership of the results that are going to be announced," Ms Cherera said earlier today. 

First speech

In his first speech as President-elect, Dr Ruto assured his political enemies that he will not seek revenge against them.

“I'm acutely aware that our country is at the stage where we need all hands on deck. We do not have the luxury to look back, we do not have the luxury to point fingers, we have to work together for a prosperous Kenya,” he said.

He attributed his victory to God, whom he said enabled him to withstand storms to become Kenya's fifth president.

Prolonged process

The announcement is also a culmination of a prolonged verification processes that has been interrupted several times after complaints by supporters of the main candidates.

The vote was carried out peacefully, with international observers praising the electoral commission for a job well done. The East Africa Community, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), the Commonwealth and the African Union (AU)/Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) observer missions in Kenya also praised the National Police Service for their professionalism at the polling stations.

However, the team faulted the use of state resources during political campaigns, failed Kenya Integrated Election Management System (Kiems) kits in a number of polling stations, low voter turnout and lack of youth participation in both elective posts and voting.