William Ruto has been declared the winner of Kenya’s presidential election – moments after the main count was interrupted as scuffles broke out.
Mr Ruto is currently the country’s deputy president and has beaten opposition leader Raila Odinga to the top job after winning 50.49% of the vote.
“We are here this evening to witness this momentous occasion as the people of Kenya restate what is in article one of the constitution of Kenya that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya,” Mr Ruto said after his victory was announced.
“I want to thank God for getting us to this point, I want to thank God that today we have concluded this election.
“I know that there were predictions that I wouldn’t get to the ballot, there were predictions that we wouldn’t get here, but because there is a God in heaven we are here, and I want to in a very special way to say, and to confess, that without God we wouldn’t have been here.”
Earlier, chairs were thrown, bottles were smashed and a lectern was knocked over as chaos erupted in the hall in Nairobi.
The planned announcement of the election results descended into chaotic scenes after the deputy chairperson of the election commission and three other commissioners disowned the results.
Two commissioners and the chief executive of the commission were injured in the scuffles and are receiving treatment.
Sky News’ correspondent Yousra Ekhagir witnessed the disruption take place.
“Fighting broke out when members of former prime minister and frontrunner Raila Odinga’s party flipped a table and starting flipping over chairs and contesting the results of the election,” she said.
“Now, his opponent and current deputy president William Ruto has arrived, and an eerie calm has come over the centre.
“People are clapping now, they have just welcomed him in, but it’s very strange, and it’s very awkward to feel that people are acting like what just happened didn’t happen.”
BREAKING: SCENES NOW AT KENYA’S NATIONAL TALLYING CENTRE pic.twitter.com/JbMuv249zO
— Yousra Elbagir (@YousraElbagir) August 15, 2022
People had been waiting at the centre for hours following several delays to the election result being announced.
The building was packed with party officials, who were being entertained by musicians calling for calm. Sky News
