The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati has gazetted William Ruto as President-elect.
In the notice dated August 16, IEBC chairman also gazetted Rigathi Gachagua as the Deputy President-elect.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by Articles 88 (4), 136, 138 (4) and (10) and 148 (3) of the Constitution of Kenya, section 4 of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act, 2011, section 39 (1), (1C) and (1H) of the Elections Act, 2011, Regulation 87 (3) and (8) of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012, the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission declares that: (a) In respect to Article 136 (1) of the Constitution: Ruto William Samoei (b) and in respect to 148 (3) of the Constitution: Gachagua Rigathi, have been duly elected as the President and Deputy President, respectively, of the Republic of Kenya having complied with the provisions of Article 138 (4) of the Constitution, during the General Election held on Tuesday, 9th August, 2022,” Mr Chebukati said.
Ruto was declared President-Elect after sailing past the ‘50 per cent plus one’ constitutional threshold that requires a winner in a presidential election to garner 50 per cent of votes cast and an additional vote to avoid a runoff.
The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) candidate garnered 7,176,141 (50.49 per cent) votes beating his closest challenger, Azimio’s Raila Odinga, who managed 6,942,930 votes (48.85 percent).
Odinga, a veteran opposition leader, was making his fifth stab with the backing of the ruling Jubilee Party led by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
However, Raila’s chief agent Kanchory Saitabao accused the IEBC and chairman Wafula Chebukati of tampering and tinkering with election results.
Of the 47 counties, Ruto garnered more than 25 per cent of the votes cast in 39, exceeding the minimum 24 counties required by the Constitution. Raila achieved 25 per cent of the votes cast in 34 counties.
In the event the presidential election results are not contested, the President-elect and his deputy will be sworn-in on August 30.
