Nairobi — Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati says final presidential results will be announced as soon as tallying is done.

While indicating that the media project the figure is far behind, Chebukati stated that even though the law allows them seven days to announce presidential results, he will try to finish the exercise and declare the winner in the presidential race as soon as possible.

“The Commission shall endeavor to conclude this exercise at the earliest possible,” Chebukati said.

He explained that the commission must compare and verify uploaded forms before making the result official.

“The Commission calls for peace as it undertakes this exercise,” Chebukati said.

Chebukati also said they would not go through the tallying process until they receive the original images of Form 34A and 34B from our returning officers at the national tallying centre.

The process is complicated, with results from more than 46,000 polling stations across the country to be counted, cross-checked and tallied.

In addition to voting for president, Kenyans were also choosing new MPs, senators, women representatives, county governors and officials.

Final presidential results will be announced at the IEBC’s national tallying centre, based in a tourist village known as the Bomas of Kenya.

It has been transformed into a virtual fortress, with no one admitted without accreditation and armed guards and sniffer dogs ensuring security.

The winner of the presidential race needs to secure 50 per cent plus one vote and at least a quarter of the votes in 24 of the 47 counties.

If neither Odinga nor Ruto gets over the threshold, a run-off must be held within 30 days of the original election — something that would be a first in Kenyan history.

Any challenge to the results must be made within seven days to the Supreme Court, the country’s highest judicial body.

The court has a 14-day deadline to issue a ruling, and if it orders an annulment, a new vote must be held within 60 days.