The US embassy in Kenya has appealed for calm following the country’s presidential election after the result sparked protests and allegations of vote rigging.
Deputy President William Ruto was on Monday announced the winner of a tight presidential race but some senior election officials have disowned the result over an alleged lack of transparency.
After defeating opponent Raila Odinga, Mr Ruto, 55, who heads the Kenya Kwanza (Kenya First) Alliance, said: “There is no looking back. We are looking to the future. We need all hands on deck to move forward.”
President Uhuru Kenyatta, who served his two-term limit as president, fell out with Mr Ruto after the last election and this time endorsed Mr Odinga, making his fifth attempt at winning the presidency.
The chairman of the electoral commission, Wafula Chebukati, said Mr Ruto had won 50.49 per cent of the vote, against Mr Odinga’s 48.5 per cent.
Celebrations broke out in strongholds of Mr Ruto after he was declared the winner.
But there were protests in the slums of Nairobi and Kisumu, areas largely behind Mr Odinga, where people burned piles of tires. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowds.
The US embassy in Kenya called the election an “important milestone”. It also urged all parties to work together to peacefully resolve concerns about the election amid fears Kenya could see a repeat of the violence after the last presidential election in 2017, which left dozens dead.
“We ask all political party leaders to continue to urge their supporters to remain peaceful and refrain from violence,” it said in a statement.
