Independent observer group backs Kenya's presidential poll results

A group of independent observers has said that the just concluded Kenya’s presidential election corresponds to their own tally.

The observation group by name of ELOG said they had dispatched over 5,000 observers across 290 constituencies in 47 counties in the whole of Kenya.

"ELOG notes that the results transmission system worked much better than expected with over 99% of scan images of the 34a and the 34b posted on the IEBC web portal. However, we are extremely concerned about the chaos that broke out at the national tallying centre at Bomas as well as the split within the IEBC leading to some commissioners quitting the tallying process and issuing their own statements prior to the announcement of the presidential results," said Anne Ireri, ELOG Chairperson.

ELOG further reiterated that it is up to the Supreme Court of Kenya to validate the declaration made by the chairperson of the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission Wafula Chebukati.

Four of the seven electoral commissioners of Kenya's presidential election told journalists Monday they could not support the "opaque nature" of the final phase of the vote-verification process.

They spoke just before the declaration of Deputy President William Ruto as the winner of the election over five-time contender Raila Odinga.

"We are here not at Bomas of Kenya, where the result is going to be announced, because of the opaque nature of how this phase has been handled," the vice chair Juliana Cherera said.

"We cannot take ownership of the result that is going to be announced," she added, without giving details.

Ruto received 50.49% of the votes with more than 7.1 million, the chairman said, while Odinga received 48.85% with more than 6.9 million in last Tuesday's peaceful election.

The next move for the former Premier Raila Odinga can see him move to the country’s highest court to invalidate Ruto’s win as per the electoral commission.