NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 15 – Security has been heightened at the Bomas Cultural Center where the winner of the presidential election will be unveiled to Kenyans and the world.
The number of officers has been scaled up to ensure everything goes on as planned and smoothly in anticipation of the big announcement.
Those entering the venue must undergo a thorough security check before being allowed access to the compound.
Only accredited persons are allowed to enter the venue, the main national tallying center of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Anxiety has gripped the nation ahead of the release of the results that the two leading presidential contenders Raila Odinga of Azimio La Umoja and William Ruto of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) are neck and neck.
The focus now shifts to the IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati – the Presidential Returning Officer who is the only one mandated to declare the winner in a presidential election.
Constitutionally, the Commission has until Tuesday to declare the winner of the presidential contest.
The unveiling of the presidential winner will take place at the Bomas of Kenya – the Commission’s national tallying center.
By Monday 4.45 am, the Commission had verified and relayed results from 248 constituencies out of the 291.
Sources at the commission said Chebukati might pull a surprise and announce the results on Monday if the results verification exercise concludes on time.
The possibility, however, would be heavily pegged on the availability of time as Chebukati is on record saying, “I will only declare the results in broad daylight and not at night.”
The long wait for the results is Kenya’s first in her history of elections, after the Supreme Court while handling a presidential petition in 2017 in the affirmed that the validation exercise is mandatory before making the final declaration.
About The Author
