On Tuesday, August 16, Kenya’s longest-serving opposition leader Raila Odinga rejected the results of the August 9, presidential election.
The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party said the results announced by IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati were “null and void.”
Raila’s comments on the result came after four of the seven IEBC commissioners said they stood by their decision a day earlier to disown figures announced by electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati.
In a clear indication that he was headed to the Supreme Court, Raila said his coalition, “totally and without reservation reject the results that were announced yesterday (Monday)” and that he will use available legal channels to challenge it.
But in a statement on Friday, August 19, the International Human Rights Foundation demanded Raila Odinga to concede defeat.
The Foundation said Raila has the democratic responsibility of accepting the results arguing that the electoral body conducted a free, fair, and transparent election.
“The results of the Kenyan elections are clear and verified by the electoral authority (IEBC) which has proclaimed William Ruto president-elect,
“Let us trust in the constitutional system and the rule of law. Out of democratic responsibility, Raila should concede,” the rights body said.
The body has an obligation to ensure laws are laid down for governments across the world to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts.
William Ruto was declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential elections after he garnered 7,176,141 votes, equivalent to 50.59 percent of valid votes cast, beating former Prime Minister Raila Odinga who had 6,942,930 votes representing 48.85 percent.
“I want to promise Kenyans that I will run a transparent, open, and democratic government,” Ruto said in his acceptance speech following his victory.
