Kenya’s Electoral Commission has announced Uhuru Kenyatta as the re-elected President in the just concluded General Elections. This becomes Uhuru’s second term in office and final five-year term. A final tally of votes gave him 8,203,2909 votes (54.27 percent) according to the Independent Electoral and boundaries Commission (IEBC) compared to his closest rival Raila Odinga who garnered 6,762,224 votes (44.74 percent) out of 15,073,662 (78.91 percent) voter turnout. “By the powers vested in me under Article 138(10) allow me to provide you with total humility….Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 8,203,290 votes representing 54.27 percent of votes. He has attained 25 per cent in 35 counties,” announced Wafula Chebukati. President elect, Uhuru Kenyatta in his acceptance speech, he said:
“I would like to take this opportunity first and foremost to thank God for the favour he has shown us. Secondly, to thank the people of Kenya for the confidence they have shown in me and the administration. We shall continue what we have already started. I also thank the electoral commission for a job well done. It has been a long wait, but we were determined that we shall be patient and indeed it has been declared. I would also like to thank all our supporters and all the people who have worked very hard, Jubilee supporters, politicians, women and women who fought gallantly for various positions in the country. Congratulations to those who have won and to those who have lost we live to fight another day.
The president also used his acceptance speech to reach out to his main rival Raila Odinga. The Head of State said he was extending a hand of friendship and of cooperation to the NASA candidate and all his supporters so that all Kenyans remain united for the progress of the country.
“To our worthy competitor, we are not enemies. In every competition there shall be winners and losers. I extend a hand of partnership, of cooperation. This country needs all of us to succeed and Kenyans want it to succeed,” said the President. “I reach out to you, to all your supporters and to all those elected to the opposition bench. We shall work together to build this nation.”
Article 138(4) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 stipulates what the winning presidential candidate in the forth- coming general elections of August 8,8, 2017 in the first round must score to be declared the 5th President of Kenya and being: “A candidate shall be declared elected as president if the candidate receives (a) More than half of all the votes cast in the elections (b) At least 25 percent of the votes cast in each of more than half of the 47 counties.
Chairman of the electoral commission, Wafula Chebukati,“We are confident that the manner in which these elections were conducted. Our democracy has matured. We must have confidence in our constitutional institutions.” “Through all the challenges the Commission has remained focused to deliver a credible election,” said Chebukati. “This election marks a major milestone in our history. The deployment of el
Kenya’s Electoral Commission has announced Uhuru Kenyatta as the re-elected President in the just concluded General Elections.