NAIROBI: Kenya's president-elect William Ruto vowed on Monday to work with "all leaders" as he was declared winner of a closely-fought poll, attempting to ease tensions after the outcome sparked a split in the election commission and fears of violence.
"There is no room for vengeance," Ruto said, adding, "I am acutely aware that our country is at a stage where we need all hands on deck."
Kenya's elections chief declared Deputy President William Ruto the winner of a tight presidential race on Monday but, amid chaotic scenes, four other senior election officials said the week-long count was too opaque and disowned the result.
Ruto had appeared to be leading long-time opposition leader Raila Odinga as Kenyans awaited final results of the election held nearly a week ago.
Minutes before the chairman of the electoral commission Wafula Chebukati announced that Ruto had won the vote, his deputy Juliana Cherera had told media at a separate location that she and three other commissioners disowned the results.
"We are not able to take ownership of the results that will be announced," she said.
Diplomats and international elections were whisked out of the tallying hall before Chebukati spoke, as scuffles broke out.
Amid fears that vote-rigging allegations could lead to bloody scenes like those that followed presidential polls in 2007 and 2017, Cherera urged the parties to pursue any disputes through the courts.
The announcement of the long-awaited outcome of Kenya's presidential vote was thrown into chaos on Monday after four out of seven election commissioners said they could not recognise the results.
"We cannot take ownership of the result that will be announced," Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) vice chair Juliana Cherera told reporters.
She described the process as "opaque" but did not elaborate, saying further information would be given later.
The IEBC had earlier said it would be issuing the results of the closely fought August 9 race at 1200 GMT but by almost 1500 GMT there was still no announcement.
Latest official results published by Kenyan media early on Monday had given Deputy President William Ruto a slight edge over Raila Odinga, the veteran opposition leader who had run with the support of the ruling party.
As confusion reigned, scuffles broke out at the IEBC's heavily guarded national tallying centre in Nairobi, where some people were seen throwing chairs. - AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
