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President Emmerson Mnangagwa has congratulated Kenya’s Vice President William Ruto following his victory in the closely-fought presidential election held on 9 August 2022.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati declared Ruto as president-elect and his running mate Rigathi Gachagua as the deputy president-elect, respectively.
In a post on his Twitter page on Monday evening, Mnangagwa congratulated Ruto and expressed confidence that he will serve his country to the best of his ability. He said:
Congratulations to @WilliamsRuto on his election as the next President of Kenya.
I have no doubt he will serve his country, his people and our continent with distinction.
Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.59 per cent of valid votes cast, beating his rival Azimio la Umoja candidate Raila Odinga who had 6,942,930 votes.
However, four IEBC commissioners held a surprise press conference at Serena Hotel, Nairobi on Monday afternoon and said they will not take ownership of the results.
The commissioners, including vice chair Juliana Cherera, commissioners Francis Wanderi, Irene Masit and Justus Nyang’aya, claimed that the results were arrived at in an opaque manner, without giving further details.
