Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has announced Vice Presidential William Ruto winner of the just-concluded presidential election.
The electoral commission made the announcement Monday in compliance with Kenya’s electoral constitution, after an intensely contested presidential race.
Vice President Ruto was declared winner by the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati and issued a certificate of return at the national tallying centre in Bomas.
Ruto won in 126 constituencies with a total of 7,152,655 votes while his opponent Raila Odinga finished with 6,942,708 votes after winning in 146 constituencies.
Ruto attained 50.49 percent of votes in accordance with Kenyan laws that mandate a presidential candidate to have at least 50 percent of the total votes and one-quarter of the vote in 24 of Kenya’s 47 countries before they can be eligible to win the election. Mr. Odinga however finished with 48.85 percent of the votes.
Ruto Williams holds a Ph.D. in plant ecology from the University of Nairobi and had worked as a street trader during his youth.
The Vice President had been handed several crime charges of post-election violence which were later dropped by the International Criminal Court.
