Kenya: Raila Odinga rejects presidential election results
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Kenya’s opposition leader, Raila Odinga has rejected the presidential election results announced on Monday by election officials.
The country’s deputy President William Ruto was declared winner of the country’s presidential election held on August 9.
Kenya’s top election official announced that William Ruto won the presidential election with 50.49% of the vote as against 48.5% secured by opposition leader Raila Odinga.
But Odinga told a news conference that he can’t accept the results and will be challenging it constitutionally.
He described the results as illegal and unconstitutional and said they were null and void.
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Slow progress by the electoral commission in tallying last week Tuesday’s vote had sparked anxiety in the country as citizens waited long hours and days to know who their next president will be.
Many were hoping Monday’s announcement doesn’t spark electoral violence as witnessed in the past disputed elections.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has served his two-term limit, fell out with Ruto after the last election and endorsed Odinga for president.
Odinga was running for president under the Azimio La Umoja (Declaration of Unity) Alliance, which includes Kenyatta’s Jubilee party.
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He is a former cabinet minister and prime minister and this was his fifth attempt at becoming President.
Ruto who headed the Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) Alliance, served as a lawmaker and minister for agriculture before becoming deputy president.
Kenya: William Ruto declared winner of presidential election
Source: Africafeeds.com