By- President Emerson Mnangagwa has congratulated the discredited Kanya’s President-elect, Willam Ruto, a few minutes after the announcement of the results.
Mnangagwa sent his congratulatory message to Ruto via Twitter Monday evening.
“Congratulations to
on his election as the next President of Kenya. I have no doubt he will serve his country, his people and our continent with distinction,” Tweeted Mnangagwa.
Ruto was on Monday declared the winner of the closely-fought presidential election by the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati.
Chebukati declared Kenya Kwanza’s candidate Ruto as president-elect and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua as the deputy president-elect, respectively.
Four commissioners with IEBC immediately held a surprise press conference at Serena Hotel, Nairobi and said they will not take ownership of the results.
The commissioners, including vice chair Juliana Cherera, commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang’aya, claimed that the results were arrived at in an opaque manner, without giving further details.
Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.59 per cent of valid votes cast, beating his rival Azimio la Umoja candidate Raila Odinga whom the IEBC said had 6,942,930 votes.
Said Chebukati:
Despite intimidation and harassment… I have done my duty in accordance with the constitution and the laws of the land.
The declaration has been made without results from four of 290 constituencies – Kacheliba, Kitui Rural, Pokot South and Rongai – whose voting was postponed.
Turnout was lower than in previous elections at around 65 per cent of Kenya’s 22 million registered voters.
The announcement ceremony was held at the national tallying centre at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi and was attended by diplomats and foreign election observers.