Kenya’s deputy president, William Ruto, has won the race to become the East African country’s president for the fifth time.
According to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) results announced on Monday, August 15, William Ruto, the country’s Deputy President, defeated Raila Odinga, a former Member of Parliament for Langata and businessman who served as Kenya’s Prime Minister from 2008 to 2013, the election commission said.
Odinga was the prefered candidate of Kenya’s serving president Uhuru Kenyatta, but Ruto defied the odds in the election and is now the new leader of Kenya, Eastern Africa’s richest and most stable nation.
According to IEBC, Ruto narrowly beat his rival, Raila Odinga, taking 50.4% of the vote.
The announcement was delayed amid allegations of vote-rigging by Odinga’s campaign early Monday but has now been confirmed by the Country’s electoral body.