Kenya’s Ruto declared president after last-minute chaos

IN a chaotic announcement that could foreshadow a court challenge, Kenya’s electoral commission chairman on Monday declared Deputy President William Ruto the winner of the country’s close presidential race over five-time contender Raila Odinga.

The outcome was a triumph for a candidate who shook up the East African nation’s politics by appealing to struggling Kenyans’ economic concerns instead of their ethnic allegiances.

Ruto received about 50.5% of the vote to nearly 49% for Odinga in last Tuesday’s balloting, the chairman said. But just before the declaration, four of the seven electoral commissioners told reporters they could not support the “opaque nature” of the final steps, without giving details.

Screams and scuffles broke out in the auditorium, the lectern was tossed from the stage, and police rushed in to restore order as a choir continued to sing.

Minutes later, commission chairman Wafula Chebukati announced the official results and said the two commissioners who stayed