Ruto wins Kenyan presidential election, Buhari applauds exercise

Deputy President, William Ruto, has won Kenya’s presidential election, the electoral commission chairman has said.

He narrowly beat his rival, Raila Odinga, taking 50.4 per cent of the vote.

The announcement was delayed amid scuffles and allegations of vote rigging by Odinga’s campaign team.

Four of the seven members of the electoral commission refused to endorse the announcement, saying the results were opaque.

“We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced because of the opaque nature of this last phase of the general election.

“We are going to give a comprehensive statement…and again we urge Kenyans to keep calm. There is an open door that people can go to court and the rule of law will prevail,” said Juliana Cherera, the vice-chairperson of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Odinga’s party agents earlier alleged there were irregularities and mismanagement in the election.

This is the first time Ruto, 55, has run for president. He has served as deputy president for 10 years, but fell out with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who backed Odinga to succeed him.

Ruto, during the election, pledged: “I will run a transparent, open and democratic government. I want to promise all the people of Kenya, whichever way they voted, that this would be their government.”

MEANWHILE, President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Ruto on his victory.

He also commended the people of Kenya for the peaceful and transparent outcome of the elections.

Buhari said Nigeria values Kenya as a strategic partner in the fight against terrorism and violence extremism, buoyed by a long history of friendship, economic and trade ties, and effective collaboration through international organisations, such as the African Union, the United Nations and the Commonwealth.

In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari also saluted President Uhuru Kenyatta for his statesmanship and exemplary leadership to the people of Kenya in the past nine years and the legacies of his administration on infrastructure, education, healthcare reforms and tourism as well as support on regional security.