Both the Kenya Kwanza Alliance coalition and the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party have started claiming victory even as tallying of the presidential election votes continues.
On Wednesday, August 9, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna claimed that their internal national tally showed that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga had won resoundingly with votes from his two strongholds Kakamega and Mandera counties yet to be factored.
“As SG of ODM, I do not peddle rumors. We are awaiting presidential results from only two counties, Kakamega and Mandera. Knowing how these counties vote, we are ready to call this election,” Sifuna said.
On the other hand, the Kenya Kwanza Alliance led by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro said the alliance’s presidential candidate William Ruto had already crossed the 50 percent plus one vote required by law to be declared president-elect.
“Only 500 polling stations remaining now and our votes are almost 52 percent of all the 14.3 million votes cast. Therefore the 50 percent plus one threshold is already met,” Nyoro said.
Outspoken Embakasi East MP-elect Babu Owino has also joined the bandwagon declaring Raila’s camp will not accept any other announcement other than his win.
On Thursday, August 11, Babu said that as of that day morning, Raila Odinga had already garnered 6 million and was leading and on course to win the presidential election with a landslide.
In a statement on his official Twitter account, Babu who was earlier re-elected on the ODM ticket said Raila has 6 million strong and that he must be declared the winner.
“There are no results we will accept if not a win. Baba (Raila Odinga) must be declared the winner,” Babu Owino said.
Provisional results show a tight race between Raila and William Ruto, 36 hours since results started trickling in from polling stations across the country.
For either Raila or Ruto to be declared the winner of the presidential election in Kenya, they have to have garnered more than half of all votes cast in the country.
The candidate also has to get at least 25% of votes in more than half of Kenya’s 47 counties.