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| William Ruto |
William Ruto has been declared winner of Kenya's presidential election, according to the chairman of the electoral commission.
With 50.4% of the vote, he barely defeated Raila Odinga as his opponent.
The announcement was postponed due to altercations and claims of vote manipulation made by Mr. Odinga's campaign.
Four of the electoral commission's seven members declined to support the statement, claiming the results were "opaque."
Because of the opaque nature of this final stage of the general election, Juliana Cherera, deputy chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), stated,
"We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be published"
"We are going to make a thorough statement, and once again, we urge Kenyans to maintain their composure.
"People have the option to go to court, and the rule of law will win out, she said.
The poll was allegedly marred by "irregularities" and "mismanagement," according to Mr. Odinga's party representative.
The 55-year-old Mr. Ruto was running for president for the first time.
After ten years in that position, he lost the support of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who preferred Mr. Odinga to succeed him. (BBC)
