Africa
By Kennedy Nnamani
HOURS after the declaration of William Ruto as winner of the just concluded close-fought Kenya presidential election, mixed reactions have trail the process that brought him to power. Residents from Nyeri, Eldoret, Nakuru and Nandi and other parts of the country took to the streets to celebrate Ruto’s victory. The mood was, however, pensive in Raila Odinga, opposition candidate’s perceived strongholds as the former prime minister lost his fifth stab at the presidency, according to Kenyan.co.ke.
Prior to the announcement of Ruto’s victory by Wafula Chebukati, chairman of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC, four out of the seven commissioners, who conducted the presidential election, issued a statement rejecting the result. In a statement on August 15, the commissioners “rejected the result because of the opaque nature of how this phase was handled.”
“We, therefore, cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced. However, we have an open door that people can go to court, and because of same, we urge Kenyans to be peaceful because the law is going to prevail,” the statement said.
Kenyans, especially supporters of Odinga, did not heed their advice. Bloomberg reported that Chaos erupted at the venue in Kenya’s capital where officials were preparing to announce the outcome of the August 9, presidential election.
Gunshots rang out as supporters of presidential candidate Odinga stormed the podium where the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission officials were gathered before the results announcement. Foreign diplomats left the center because of security concerns, said two people who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak to the media.
Similarly, Aljazeera also reported that protests have broken out in Odinga strongholds where supporters, angry at his loss in the presidential elections to Ruto, are demanding that he should not accept the results.
In line with his supporters demands, Odinga has rejected election results, accusing the head of the electoral commission, IEBC of “blatant disregard of the constitution.”
Also, Aljazeera reported that Makau Mutua, spokesperson of Odinga, described the electoral commission chairperson’s announcement as “invalid because he had no quorum of commissioners to hold a plenary and make such a weighty decision”.
On her part, Martha Karua, Odinga’s running mate and a former justice minister, tweeted: “It is not over until it is over.”
Reports from Reuters noted that Lakeside town turned violent following the announcement of the result. However, In Kisumu, Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o has called for calm.
According to the report, motorcycle drivers honked their horns and people blew into vuvuzelas and whistles while shouting “We need Raila now!”, “Chebukati must go!” and “No Raila, no peace!”.
However, in Eldoret, Ruto’s home, the atmosphere was rather ecstatic.
“We are very happy. I believe in the leader who was selected, I believe in the IEBC. He is about the bottom up. People from down there will be up here.” said 25-year-old Eldoret resident Kenneth Kibitok.
Also, Ben Maina, Kenyan investor based in South Africa, who spoke to SABC News, said: “This election was won before it was done.
“It was won by Kenyans. Our electoral commission has demonstrated that it is capable of putting up an election with the best transparency you can ever see in the whole world. The results at the polling stations were there in the website everybody can tally. You can all do your tallying and come up with your conclusion but at the end of the day, if you tally all the votes you will come to the same conclusion and to us that is what is important.
“It is not whether it is Ruto, Raila or who, what is important is that we have demonstrated to ourselves and to the world that we are able to make a choice and make a choice in a dignified manner.”
Nonetheless, as a lesson from the Kenyan election. the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, also reported that Osita Chidoka, the former minister of aviation, has urged Nigerian electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to avoid delays in declaration of the 2023 general election.
Chidoka, who said this in a statement on Monday, noted that though INEC was faster than the Kenya Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission, KIEBC, there was need to make the electronic upload of results consistent at every collation level.
Reacting, President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated the president-elect and commended the people of Kenya for the peaceful and transparent outcome of the elections. Buhari, who spoke through Femi Adesina, his spokesman, said the outcome of the Kenyan election had again demonstrated that the democratic process, values and principles remain the best way for the people to select their leaders and hold them accountable.
He looked forward to more fruitful and robust engagements between the two countries.
-Last updated August 16, 2022
KN
Tags: Ben Maina Daniel Arap Moi Femi Adesina IEBC Kenneth Kibitok Muhammadu Buhari Mwai Kibaki Osita Chidoka Raila Odinga Realnews SABC News Uhuru Kenyatta Wafula Chebukati William Ruto
