Despite protests, Mr. Chebukati continued to declare William Ruto the victor, defending his decision by asserting that he was acting legally.
The four commissioners who have not endorsed the outcome of the presidential election have been charged with attempting to undermine the constitution, according to the head of Kenya’s electoral agency, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In a statement, Wafula Chebukati detailed what he witnessed on Monday during the planned announcement of the results’ several-hour postponement.
He said that the four commissioners, who later went on to distance themselves from the outcome, “demanded that the chairperson moderates the results for [the] purpose of forcing an election re-run contrary to their oath of office.
“This is tantamount to subverting the Constitution and the sovereign will of the people of Kenya.”
The four commissioners claimed they were denied the opportunity to independently confirm the results and had doubts about the tally’s accuracy.
It has been questioned if the arithmetic they employed to support their arguments was correct.
Raila Odinga, Mr. Ruto’s major competitor, has refused to recognize the outcome and has said he will file a lawsuit. One defense is that Mr. Chebukati lacked the authority to make the declaration.
The Supreme Court’s judges may need to make a decision on this matter.
