Raila Odinga calls Kenya election results null and void, calls for calm

“The figures announced by Mr. Chebukati are null and void and must be crushed by a court of law,” Odinga said at a news conference. “I want to commend our supporters for remaining calm and keeping the peace and urge them to continue to do so. Let no one take the law into their own hands.”

“We are pursuing constitutional and lawful channels and processes to invalidate Mr. Chebukati’s illegal and unconstitutional pronouncement,” he added.

His statement raises the specter of violence between his supporters and the winner’s, which has marred past elections. So far, aside from scattered protests, Kenya has been quiet in the wake of the results.

“It is a relief Raila decided to go to court and asked his supporters to be calm and wait for the courts to decide,” said Meron Elias, the analyst for East and Southern Africa at the International Crisis Group think tank. “Despite the uncertainty, that’s a reassuring decision.”

Odinga’s announcement could bring a repeat of Kenya’s 2017 election outcome when his campaign challenged incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win in the Supreme Court, which went on to declare that vote invalid.

William Ruto declared winner of Kenya’s presidential election

Kenyatta still won the election rerun, however, after Odinga told his supporters not to vote, citing distrust in the electoral body. That period was marred by violent street protests and human rights violations.

On Monday afternoon, as the country waited for the election results, one of Odinga’s top election officials, Saitabao Ole Kanchory, said that they had reports the electoral system was “penetrated and hacked” and that “some of the IEBC officials committed electoral offenses.”

Minutes before the results were announced, four out of seven of Kenya’s electoral commissioners said they would not stand by them. In a news conference Tuesday, they said the results were declared by the chair before the commissioners all had a chance to consult on the tabulations and objections brought up by the parties.

“The issue that we have is with the process,” commissioner Justus Nyang’aya said shortly before Odinga’s news conference. “If that is not determined by the commissioners, then it remains the duty, role and responsibility of only one person in the boardroom.”

Monday’s announcement of a win for Ruto prompted celebrations around the country from his supporters. In Ngong Town, on the outskirts of Nairobi, drivers honked their horns and…