Ugly scenes characterised the declaration of Deputy President William Ruto as the president-elect on Monday after Azimio la Umoja disputed the results.
Hell broke loose at 5.26pm after IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, who had gone incommunicado for hours, made his way to the auditorium to declare the winner of the hotly contested election.
Azimio presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga’s chief agent Saitabao Kanchory joined by other Azimio affiliates surrounded the chairman, asking him not to declare the disputed results.
In a split second, a push and shove ensued between the Azimio affiliates and the IEBC team leading to the destruction of the podium that was set up for the big announcement.
The microphone that Chebukati was set to use for the declaration was dismantled. The lectern branded with an IEBC logo and the seats were shoved to the centre of the auditorium floor.
Security officers — largely drawn from the General Service Unit — swung into action and evacuated Chebukati and IEBC officers who were joining him for the results declaration ceremony.
Narok Senator-elect Ledama Olekina, Kanchory, Nyakach MP-elect Aduma Owuor, who led the protests, were accosted by Kenya Kwanza affiliates before they were saved by the police.
Earlier, Olekina had unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone to pass an announcement but was jeered by the audience, especially from the Kenya Kwanza corner.
Like the scenes of the renowned “Titanic” movie, the choir continued to sing as blows, batons and kicks reigned.
“It was the police who saved me. They did not beat me. If it were not for them, the Kenya Kwanza people would have injured me more,” Olekina told the Star on the phone from his hospital bed.
For Kanchory, it was Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who came to his rescue by creating a buffer between him and the cops who had joined Kenya Kwanza people in the assault.
“It'll be unfair and ungrateful of me not to thank Murkomen for shielding me from the marauding UDA mobs and even some clearly partisan cops baying for my blood at Bomas today," he said in a tweet.
"Thank you Murkomen, you put your safety in jeopardy for my sake. Political difference is not enmity."
Elections Observation Group would later express concern over the chaos and the split in the electoral agency.
“We are extremely concerned about the chaos that broke out at the National Tallying Centre at Bomas, as well as the split within the IEBC," Elog said on Tuesday.
"Leading to some commissioners to quit from the tallying process and issue their own statements prior to the announcement of the presidential results."
The events were a culmination of the more than eight hours pensive wait for the electoral commission to declare the winner of the Ruto versus Raila duel.
Tension was palpable from as early as 12.20pm when the commission invited the four agents of the presidential candidates to the back room for the signing of the results.
On their return towards 4pm, the two sides started taunting one another, each side though still holding on to hope that their side would be declared.
At about 4.45pm, some of the foreign diplomats who had been waiting with the hordes of Kenyans at the auditorium left the venue.
Members of an elite force took charge of the security and protected the tallying centre allowing Chebukati to proceed with the announcement minutes to 6pm.
But among the questions observers are asking are: Who was in charge? Was there disquiet within the National Police Service? Did President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration allow the declaration to proceed at the height of the mayhem?
Details, however, show the police were aware of the imminent tension that was building at the national tallying centre way before the ugly scenes played out.
The Star has established that Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Administration Police Noor Gabow was in charge of security since last Sunday.
“There was no disquiet as such because all along, they had been working together,” a senior police officer who did not want to be named told the Star.
“That is why you saw the different units, including GSU, APS, DCI and regular ones, there under his (Gabow) command."
The officer further indicated that given the developments that emerged, and the same being live on TVs, it was agreed to let Chebukati go on with his plans.
It is reported the IEBC chairman kept talking to one of his family members that he felt threatened hence a decision was made to let him proceed.
The officer said they knew of the election result as early as midday, and were seized of the split among the commissioners after the four new ones left.
Police say their earlier brief was that the IEBC chairman was to declare the results at 11am but the electoral agency boss changed his mind and settled for 3pm.
The change prompted a meeting with the commissioners, where all went south, leading to the four commissioners storming out of Bomas for a presser at Serena Hotel.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
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