Monday evening, a sharply divided Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) declared United Democratic Alliance’s William Ruto, 55, the president-elect, thus ending the six days’ wait of Kenyans to know the winner of the polls.
“William Ruto got 7,176,141, representing 50.49 percent of the votes cast. He achieved at least 25 percent of the votes cast in 39 counties. I, therefore, declare Ruto the president-elect,” IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said.
The Azimio la Umoja ticket of Raila Odinga and Martha Karua trailed by more than 200,000 votes.
“Odinga Raila got 6,942,930 votes representing 48.85 percent of the votes cast and attained at least 25 percent of the votes cast in 34 counties,” Chebukati said.
However, the writings are clear on the wall that the end is far from over. Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance disputed the tallying process even before the announcement, thus indicating a looming legal battle at the Supreme Court of Kenya.
“IEBC’s system was penetrated and hacked. We have information. We were not able to ask our party leader to come before we verify the results, which we have been unable to do,” said Saitabao Ole Kanchory, Azimio’s chief agent. Kanchory was addressing the press outside Bomas as preparations were underway in the auditorium.
“As you can see, the four of us are here and not at the Bomas of Kenya because of the opaque nature of how this phase has been handled. We, therefore, cannot take ownership of the results that is going to be announced. We are going to give a comprehensive statement from the 4 of us,” IEBC Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera said.
Odinga was conspicuously missing from the results announcement ceremony, which caught Kenyans’ attention. On Twitter, for example, two hashtags– “Where is Raila” and “Where is Baba,” were trending at numbers 2 and 4, respectively.
While all this was taking place at Bomas, four IEBC commissioners walked out of Bomas and headed to Serena Hotel in Nairobi, where they addressed the press, putting in public the sharp divisions that have rocked the electoral commission.
It is not over till it is over …..
— Martha Karua SC (@MarthaKarua) August 15, 2022
The four, including the vice chairperson Juliana Cherera, distanced themselves from the results that were about to be declared at Bomas, citing the opaqueness of the process.
“As you can see, the four of us are here and not at the Bomas of Kenya because of the opaque nature of how this phase has been handled. We, therefore, cannot take ownership of the results that is going to be announced. We are going to give a comprehensive statement from the 4 of us,” Cherera said.
The other commissioners who alienated themselves from the results were Francis Mathenge Wanderi, Irene Cherop Masit, and Justus Abonyo Nyang’aya.
It is worth noting that the four were appointed to replace Roselyn Akombe, Connie Nkatha Maina, Margaret Mwachanya, and Paul Kurgat, who resigned after the last general elections.
Akombe resigned in 2017 as the country prepared for the repeat presidential elections after the Supreme Court annulled the first-round polls. The other three resigned a year later in protest of the commission’s leadership.
While the four commissioners were issuing a presser at Serena Hotel, Bomas arena turned chaotic when Chebukati was about to enter. The situation quickly descended into chaos, with scuffles breaking out. Viral footage showed a man hurling chairs off the stage, and diplomats were reportedly whisked out of the tallying hall.
The ceremony, poised to start at 3 pm, quickly kicked off as soon calmness was restored, and Chebukati took to the stage. He lamented cases of harassment and arbitrary arrests of the commission’s staff by people he didn’t know and “for no reason.”
“But we have a constitutional duty to perform, and that’s why I stand before you today despite intimidation and harassment. This is my last election to preside,” the chairperson said before he proceeded to read the presidential results.
President-elect Ruto thanked God, his family, and friends for ensuring he got the victory.
“I want to thank God for this victory. There were predictions that I wouldn’t get to the ballot, but because there is a God in heaven, we’re here,” Ruto said.
He lauded the voters for choosing agenda over ethnicity and raising the bar for those seeking leadership ‘not to sell ethnicities but agendas and manifestos.’
Ruto said IEBC shocked everyone for putting the results in a public portal, thus making it easy for anyone to tabulate the votes. He also thanked Odinga for leading issue-based campaigns and promised to work with all leaders.
“I will work with all leaders in Kenya so that we can fashion a country that leaves no one behind. I will run a transparent, open government and will work with the opposition to the extent that they provide oversight over my government,” he said.
Besides, he assured his supposed enemies to be at peace and ease because he would not avenge the wrongs they did to him.
“Many are wondering, especially those who have done many things against us. I want to tell them that there is nothing to fear. There is no room for vengeance. There is no room for looking back. We are looking into the future,” Ruto said.
Ruto called upon the clergy to pray for peace, prosperity, and unity for Kenyans, even as he promised all Kenyans his government would be a government of all.
Shortly before the announcement, there was a heavy police presence in the deserted streets of many towns in Kenya. In Mombasa and Nairobi, businesses and other premises closed as early as 10 am.
Workers of some companies were also released to go home and wait for the results announcement.
Odinga has not been seen in public or commented on the election.