afrol News, 30 December - President Mwai Kibaki has been declared the winner of Thurday's elections, polling 4,584,721 against Raila Odinga’s 4,352,993.

Kibaki was immediately sworn in as the President of Kenya at State House in the capital Nairobi.

After its earlier attempts to announe the results at the Kenyatta International Confeence Centre could not materialise amid chaos, the Electora Commission of Kenya used the national broadcaster, KBC-TV to declare the final results.

“I declare Mwai Kibaki the President of the republic of Kenya,” the ECK Chairman, Samuel Kivuitu, declared, asking the opposition Orange Democratic Movement of Raila Odinga to file any complaints of irrgularities at the courts.

“The Electoral Commission has no jurisdiction over the issues raised. These are matters for the judiciary. We hope the courts would move expeditiously."

While the final results were being announced, all local journalists were driven out of the KICC.

After he took oath of office, President Kibaki expressed his government's resolve to ensure equal treatment and justice for all Kenyans without distinction whatsoever. He also promise to appoint a “clean hands Cabinet."

“I ask all Kenyans to set aside all the divisive views and opinions we held during the elections and embrace one another as brothers and sisters,” the newly elected President urged.

Kibaki described his challengers - Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka - as strong campaigners able enough to amass support throughout the country.

The President elect calls for calm in the country. He asked religious and political leaders to preach and unity in the country.

Mr Odinga has earlier asked the ECK to re-evaluate the counting of votes, complaining against vote rigging in favour of the government.

Raila, a former Lands and Reforms Minister, had earlier led Kibaki.

More than ministers of the Kibaki's party, including the Vice President Moody Awori, had lost their seats to ODM.

The Thursday's polls passed off peacefully, although they were delays in the process in some areas. The turnout was estimated at over 70%.

Mr Odinga had earlier sounded against the government's sinister plans to rig the elections.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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