President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice-President William Ruto have been re-elected for a second term in office following Kenya’s election held on 8 August.

Making the formal announcement at the Bomas of Kenya tallying centre last night, the Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Mr Wafula Chebukati declared the official result.

Uhuru Kenyatta garnered 8,203,290 votes (54.3%) against his main rival Raila Odinga with 6,762,224 votes (44.7%).

Kenyatta also won over 25% of the vote in 35 counties compared to Odinga’s 25% or more in 29 counties.

15,073,662 votes were recorded nationwide, a turnout of 78.91%.

International observers have declared the election to be “free, fair and credible” but Kenya’s main opposition grouping, NASA, led by Raila Odinga, have rejected the result terming the electoral process a “charade”. Nasa have made claims of electoral fraud and even the hacking of the voter counting process.

Reportedly, however, a leading Nasa official James Orengo has stated that the coalition will not be taking its objections to the courts as catered for under Kenya’s constitution but he said, “No one should think this is the end of the matter”.

There have been reports overnight of violence in opposition strongholds in Nairobi and Kisumu with the police responding with teargas and even live rounds.

The official announcement of the defeat of Raila Odinga is the fourth time he has lost a national election for president. At the age of 72 this could be the last election in which he is the flag-bearer for a major political grouping.