Kenyans react after Chebukati declares Uhuru winner

Wafula Chebukati, President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta (Photo: Courtesy)

Kenyans elicited mixed reactions after Uhuru Kenyatta was declared President-elect by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Monday.

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati made the declaration without results from 25 constituencies in Nyanza as a result of anti-election protests that rocked the areas.

In his acceptance speech, Uhuru celebrated the resilience of Kenyans, democracy, and institutions.

He said the Supreme Court of Kenya did not question the numbers he garnered in the August 8 Election but the process of declaring them, adding that by getting 7.5 million votes, his supporters had re-validated his mandate.

On the controversial electoral laws, Uhuru said he did not sign the Bill because he was advised it would be unfair to change the rules in the middle of the game. 

"The road to October 26 was not easy. Parliament took the legislative critic by the Supreme Court very seriously,” he said.

He said NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga to court and was granted his wish, but he chose to ignore the rest of the ruling.

"You cannot choose your opportunity to exercise a right and then abscond from the responsibilities of your choice," Uhuru noted. 

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Ekuru Aukot says Kenya needs healing

 

Aukot said Kenya needs urgent healing beyond the 2017 election.

"We have been consistent in our quest for justice and rule of law. We believe that we have been able to shape how politics is done in Kenya, albeit in our own small way," he said in a statement to newsrooms.

On the just concluded repeat presidential poll, Aukot said; "we fought to be included in this repeat election. I want to thank NASA for supporting us. Our decision to participate was based on the fact that the Thirdway Alliance has always advocated that the Constitution of Kenya must be safeguarded and followed at all times." 

He said they had misgivings on IEBC's preparedness but they decided to participate in the fresh elections as it was the only way to avoid anarchy in the country. "We disagree with any proposals that the elections were to be boycotted. To abandon the repeat election would have caused a constitutional crisis... We strongly believe that the supreme law of the land, and not the wishes of a tiny minority, must guide our elections now and in future." 

In the repeat election, 25 constituencies in Nyanza did not participate in the poll. On Monday, IEBC vice chairperson Consolata Nkatha said areas that did not participate in the election would not affect the final result. 

Out of 266 constituencies that submitted results, Uhuru got 7,483,895 votes. This was only 719,395 votes less of the 8,203,290 votes he got on August 8.