facebooktwittertelegramwhatsapp
copy short urlprintemail
+ A
A -
Qatar tribune
Nairobi Deputy President William Ruto was declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential election on Monday, securing 50.49% of the vote to narrowly beat long-time opposition leader and former prime minister Raila Odinga.Ruto, 55, will take over from President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has led the country for more than 10 years.Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said Ruto had won almost 7.18 million votes in the August 9 election, against 6.94 million (48.85%) for his rival, 77-year-old Odinga.Before going to the polls, both Ruto and Odinga had declared that they would not contest the election if they lost. But a tense, days-long vote count raised fears of post-election violence in the East African country.Odinga had sought the presidency for the fifth time and campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket. Ruto pledged far-reaching economic reforms to improve the lot of small businesses and farms. Rising food and fuel prices have added to tensions in the country of some 56 million inhabitants, which is home to a wide range of ethnic groups. Past elections have often been characterized by outbreaks of violence. (DPA)
copy short url   Copy
17/08/2022
10