“The figures announced by Mr. Chebukati are null and void and must be crushed by a court of law,” Odinga stated at a information convention. “I want to commend our supporters for remaining calm and keeping the peace and urge them to continue to do so. Let no one take the law into their own hands.”
“We are pursuing constitutional and lawful channels and processes to invalidate Mr. Chebukati’s illegal and unconstitutional pronouncement,” he added.
His assertion raises the specter of violence between his supporters and the winner’s, which has marred previous elections. So far, other than scattered protests, Kenya has been quiet within the wake of the results.
Odinga’s announcement may deliver a repeat of Kenya’s 2017 election end result when his marketing campaign challenged incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win within the Supreme Court, which went on to declare the vote invalid.
Kenyatta nonetheless gained the election rerun, nevertheless, after Odinga informed his supporters to not vote, citing mistrust within the electoral physique. That interval was marred by violent road protests and human rights violations.
On Monday afternoon, because the nation waited for the election results, considered one of Odinga’s prime election officers, Saitabao Ole Kanchory, stated that that they had stories the electoral system was “penetrated and hacked” and that “some of the IEBC officials committed electoral offenses.”
Minutes earlier than the results have been introduced, 4 out of seven of Kenya’s electoral commissioners stated they might not stand by them. In a information convention Tuesday, they stated the results have been declared by the chair earlier than the commissioners all had an opportunity to seek the advice of on the tabulations and objections introduced up by the events.
“The issue that we have is with the process,” commissioner Justus Nyang’aya stated shortly earlier than Odinga’s information convention. “If that is not determined by the commissioners, then it remains the duty, role and responsibility of only one person in the boardroom.”
Monday’s announcement of a win for Ruto prompted celebrations across the nation from his supporters. In Ngong Town, on the outskirts of Nairobi, drivers honked their horns and fashioned processions on the highway as they celebrated. Meanwhile, in Ruto’s hometown of Sugoi, individuals celebrated until late.
In western Kenya’s Kisumu City, an Odinga help base, protesters briefly lit tires on the road, blocking the roads with rocks earlier than police dispersed them.
This is predicted to be Odinga’s final try on the presidency. It was the 77-year-old’s fifth strive for the highest job.
The nation’s most critical spate of election violence got here with Odinga’s 2007 loss to Mwai Kibaki by a slim margin — additionally amid allegations of vote-rigging. Post-election violence left greater than 1,000 useless and over 5,000 displaced.
In Kibera, a slum in Nairobi that’s thought-about a stronghold for Odinga, crowds that had in earlier days gathered to observe stay broadcasts forward of the results had dispersed. “The announcement was disappointing; whatever Odinga says is what we will do, he is our leader. We trust his judgment for the way forward,” stated Job Owino, a supporter.
Mercy Wanjiru, 30, a resident of Mathare who was displaced throughout the 2007 post-election violence, stated she was blissful about Ruto’s win and hoped Odinga would concede to keep away from a repeat of the violence.
“We have a country to build,” she stated. “It is now time to heal and move on.”
