Raila Odinga says election result is null and void

Wafula Chebukati, chair of Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), declared Ruto the winner of last week's election on Monday. However, the announcement was tainted by allegations of vote-rigging and disagreement among commission members regarding the closely contested race.

At a press conference, Odinga declared, "The figures published by Mr. Chebukati are null and illegal and must be smashed by a court of law." "I want to thank our fans for maintaining their composure and maintaining the peace, and I urge them to do likewise in the future. Let nobody take the law into their own hands."

In order to invalidate Mr. Chebukati's unlawful and unconstitutional pronouncement, he continued, "We are following constitutional and legal channels and processes."

His remarks raise the possibility of the kind of bloodshed that has tainted previous elections, between his supporters and the winners. Kenya has remained peaceful following the results thus far, with the exception of a few isolated protests.

Upon hearing that Ruto had won, his fans erupted in joy across the nation on Monday. On the outskirts of Nairobi, in Ngong Town, motorists formed processions and honked their horns in celebration. In Sugoi, the hometown of Ruto, revellers stayed up late.

In Kisumu City, a hub for Odinga supporters in western Kenya, demonstrators briefly set tires on fire in the street and blocked highways with rocks before being dispersed by police.

It's anticipated that this will be Odinga's final run for the presidency. The 77-year-old had made five attempts to win the top position.

The country had its worst wave of election violence when Odinga narrowly lost President Mwai Kibaki in 2007 amid allegations of vote manipulation. Over 5,000 people were displaced and over 1,000 people died in post-election violence.

Crowds that had collected in Kibera, a slum in Nairobi that is thought to be a stronghold for Odinga, in the days prior to the results had dispersed to watch live broadcasts. "The announcement was disheartening; as our leader, we will follow everything Odinga says. We trust his judgment on the best course of action, said a supporter named Job Owino.

Source