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Raila Odinga claims victory in cliffhanger elections

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Juje   

By delaying the annoucement for over two days, it was clear the government of the day will hang on to ruling.

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Now i'm worried ,,, after the interview with the electoral committee chairman it is scary that his cell phone is facing problems while trying to contact with the voting sites .........

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Paragon   

Well, I never!

 

BREAKING NEWS: Kibaki declared winner, sworn in

By NATION Reporter

 

The Electoral Commission has declared Mwai Kibaki the winner of Thursday’s presidential elections, garnering 4,584,721 to Raila Odinga’s 4,352,993.

 

The commission announced the results through the national broadcaster, KBC-TV after an earlier attempt at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre broke down into chaos.

 

“I declare Mwai Kibaki the president of the republic of Kenya,” the commission chairman Samuel Kivuitu declared after reading the final tally of the election results.

 

He said any irregularities alleged by the Orange Democratic Movement was now in the domain of the law courts.

 

“The Electoral Commission has no jurisdiction over the issues raised. These are matters for the judiciary. We hope the courts would move expeditiously,” he said.

 

Mr Kivuitu said he understood any bitterness the losers of the election may have.

 

All local journalists were ejected from the precincts of the KICC as the results were announced.

 

Arrangements are already underway for the swearing in of President Kibaki at State House, Nairobi for a second term.

 

.

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Paragon   

Kibaki named victor in Kenya vote

Kenya's President Mwai Kibaki won Thursday's closely-fought election, the electoral commission has declared.

 

The announcement came after opposition leader Raila Odinga accused Mr Kibaki of electoral fraud and called for a full re-assessment of the results.

 

Opposition protesters began riots in the capital Nairobi, just minutes after the announcement.

 

The count was badly delayed, sparking violence in which at least 10 people are reported to have been killed.

 

'Time for healing'

 

Mr Kibaki won 4, 584,721 votes, beating Mr Odinga by more than 230,000 votes, the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) said.

 

[Mr] Kibaki has flooded this [electoral] commission with his cronies

Raila Odinga, opposition leader

 

Kalonzo Musyoka, another presidential contender, got 879,903 votes.

 

"The commission therefore declares Honourable Mwai Kibaki as the winner," ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu said.

 

Mr Kibaki was then immediately sworn in for his second five-year term.

 

In his speech, he described the elections as "free and fair", urging all political parties to "accept the verdict of the people".

 

Mr Kibaki said it was now "time for healing and reconciliation" to overcome issues dividing the nation.

 

Opposition heckling

 

Mr Odinga had led since vote counting began, but saw his advantage evaporate as later votes were added.

 

 

HAVE YOUR SAY

 

An inextricably divided Kenya will be Kibaki's legacy

 

 

Gitau Githongo, Nairobi

 

The ECK announcement was delayed, following chaotic scenes at the commission's headquarters in Nairobi.

 

Just minutes after Mr Kivuitu began reading the poll results, an opposition member approached the podium, shouting "Justice!" and "This is not a police state!"

 

Pandemonium then broke out, as other members of Mr Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement got to their feet and began shouting, the BBC's Adam Mynott reports from inside the ECK headquarters.

 

Mr Kivuitu had to be led away from the building by police, only to return later and announce Mr Kibaki as the winner of the poll.

 

Mr Odinga had earlier said that Mr Kibaki "flooded this [electoral] commission with his cronies".

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7164890.stm

 

Published: 2007/12/30 15:57:45 GMT

 

© BBC MMVII

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Paragon   

Kibaki wins Kenya vote, protests erupt

Sun 30 Dec 2007, 15:46 GMT

[-] Text [+]

 

By Daniel Wallis and Wangui Kanina

 

tn_2007-12-30T084243Z_01_NOOTR_RTRIDSP_2 NAIROBI (Reuters) - President Mwai Kibaki beat opposition rival Raila Odinga by a narrow margin to win re-election in Kenya's closest ever vote, the head of the country's electoral commission (ECK) said on Sunday.

 

Thousands of pro-opposition protesters immediately launched angry demonstrations, burning shacks in the capital's Kibera slum. Odinga has accused the government of widespread rigging -- allegations that had already fuelled two days of ethnic riots.

 

Police also fired teargas in another slum in the capital.

 

Kibaki was sworn in immediately at State House, witnesses said, as the announcement of his victory sent his supporters pouring into the streets in celebration, many beeping car horns.

 

"Honourable Mwai Kibaki is the winner," ECK chairman Samuel Kivuitu told a small group of reporters at the tally centre.

 

Scuffles and heckling had erupted moments earlier, forcing paramilitary police to escort Kivuitu to safety soon after he began reading final results in the cliffhanger vote.

 

Party agents, politicians and most journalists were then ejected from the Nairobi conference centre, and the ECK head completed the results announcements in front of a small group.

 

Chief European Union observer Alexander Graf Lambsdorff said some doubts remained about the accuracy of the final count.

 

"We believe that, at this time, the ECK, despite the best efforts of its chairman, has not succeeded in establishing the credibility of the tallying process to the satisfaction of all parties and candidates," he said in a statement.

 

"We regret that it has not been possible to address irregularities about which both the EU (observer mission) and the ECK have evidence ... some doubt remains as to the accuracy of the result of the presidential election as announced today."

 

GUNSHOTS, ARSON

 

Odinga had earlier alleged that "doctoring" was taking place at the ECK centre inself. ODM officials were locked in a crisis meeting after the announcement and did not immediately comment.

 

Delays announcing official results have triggered furious protests and ethnic clashes across the east African nation.

 

Riots convulsed Kibera -- one of Africa's biggest slums -- after the announcement and residents said opposition supporters were burning houses and kiosks.

 

"There's a lot of heat over here. People are out in their thousands," Kibera resident Joshua Odutu said against a backdrop of gunshots, whistles and shouting.

 

Police reinforcements in riot gear had been deployed in large numbers as many Kenyans feared worse violence was to come.

 

The few supermarkets and food shops that opened were packed with nervous customers. Shelves of meat, milk, beer, bottled water and other provisions emptied fast.

 

Business leaders said this weekend's tribal clashes were costing more than $30 million a day in lost taxes -- not to mention looting damage -- and threatened investment in Kenya.

 

The country normally enjoys a reputation as a haven of relative calm in a volatile region of Africa.

 

One election observer who asked not to be named said they were "in very little doubt" there had been rigging.

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STOIC   

I thought I had known a country where peace and prosperity was the poster child of the country slogan, but today I am a bit worried for that country. Few weeks ago at a Christmas party in Washington DC I was a guest of Kenyan friends. I was shocked to witness a distorted view of my Kenyans host who were divided along tribal line when politics was discussed. I thought that Kenyans have come a long way from the dictatorial rule of the MOI era, but I was wrong. Kenyans just like their other African brothers and sisters still vote and think along ethnic cleavage. It seems that the multi-party system has altered the political competition of the citizens .Each and every one wants the maximum access of unlimited state resources which leaves me wondering when will my African brothers/sisters ever distance themselves from corruption and nepotism. A young democratic nation like Kenya shouldn’t give ethnicity a position of prominence, but unfortunately that is what is ailing the country today!. Every one voted along ethnic line.

 

 

In the next few days we will witness violence perpetuated by the ethnic group that lost along Western Kenyan and among the poor slums of Nairobi and Mombasa. If no one would have gone to that poll without aiming at putting into the office one's own tribe I doubt if there would have been any violence or vote rigging. The Kenyan luo and Kikuyu tribes have a rivalry over political power since the independence. The record of Kibaki government fell short of expectation when he was voted in as a president five years ago.I am third generation Kenyan even though I have no connection to the politics of the country I still feel upset when I see injustice and corruption engulfing a country I so dearly love.My family lives there and I can only hope for peace and calm in the next few days!.

 

 

The North Eastern province which is predominately Somali still lacks behind interms of education and health.I solely blame this on the Somali politician who also vote along tribal line instead of intergrity and visionary. I was surprised to see Mohamed Abdi loose his seat. I AM not familiar with the man, but I was schoolmate with his kids.I hope they have replaced him with a better and competent person. I am crossing my fingers now hoping that the citizens will not need heed the politicians call for violence!

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Paragon   

^^I am trying to get hold of him, but for some reason I can't get through to QL.

 

I have spoken to my mother and brother who tell me their biggest problem is that they can't get out of town. The government has prohibited all kind of transportation and all the buses are locked up in Garissa, Northeastern.

 

So far, Mombasa and Kisumu are seeing the worst of the violence and Indians with air transport are flying out to Uganda.

 

The death toll has now reached 124 ... mostly with gun wounds.

 

Unecessary loss of life, I tell ya.

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