Kenya’s electoral process culminated with a formal declaration. William Ruto, standing as the presidential candidate of the Kenya Kwanza alliance, achieved the majority of votes with about 50.49 percent, translating to roughly 7.17 million ballots according to results released by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. The announcement underscored a competitive race against Raila Odinga, who trailed with approximately 48.85 percent of the vote, or around 6.75 million ballots, based on the official tallies.
In the presidential race, the competition also included two other contenders. George Wajackoyah gathered roughly 69,900 votes, while David Mwaure received around 39,000 votes. The official proclamation from the IEBC framed the results within the provisions of the constitution and the law, confirming William Ruto as the President of the Republic of Kenya. The IEBC president, Wafula Chebukati, delivered the verdict at a cultural complex located near Nairobi, after the vote counting center had already been established a short distance from the city’s core area.
Before the confirmation, there had been public commentary about the process. The four commissioners, alongside the chairman, were involved in the discussions about the method and transparency of the tally. The electoral commission group acknowledged questions surrounding the conduct of the census and the overall administration of the elections, stating that the process was conducted in line with constitutional mandates and applicable laws.
William Ruto, 55 years old, had entered the presidential race for the first time as the leader of the Kenya Kwanza coalition, known in Swahili as Kenya Kwanza. Raila Odinga, aged 77, pursued a fifth term in the presidency under the Azimio La Umoja alliance, seeking to continue his long influence in national politics. Pending any final legal objections, the results would stand as the country’s fifth presidential transition since Kenya’s independence in 1963, marking the end of the tenure of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who completed his permitted two terms under the constitution.
The vote count was marked by some delays and accusations of irregularities raised by supporters from both sides. Despite the rhetoric, the electoral body stated that no clear and convincing evidence had been presented to overturn the tally thus far. Around 22.1 million registered voters participated in the election, with the nation of about 55 million people casting ballots on August 9. Voter turnout stood at just over 65 percent, showing a robust engagement across the country.
Historically, Kenya has faced periods of tension around electoral outcomes, and past elections have been accompanied by interethnic tensions and violence. In the years following the central events of 2007, the nation experienced significant unrest; while those days are far behind, the memory of those clashes remains a reminder of the high stakes in national elections. Still, the recent exercise demonstrated the country’s commitment to a lawful and orderly transfer of power, with the formal acquisition of duties by the new leadership approaching smoothly in many regions.
In this election cycle, the country did not only decide on a presidency. Kenyan voters also chose 290 members of the National Assembly, along with 47 seats in the Senate. Alongside these national representatives, the governors and legislative assemblies for all 47 counties were elected. The nationwide exercise reflected a comprehensive renewal of political offices and a reaffirmation of the constitutional order guiding the nation’s governance structure.