Gunshots rented the air in Kisumu town and its environs on Friday night shortly after the IEBC declared Uhuru Kenyatta president-elect.
Trucks ferrying regular and administration police officers patrolled the lakeside city’s streets late in the evening as IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati prepared to declare results of one of Kenya’s most competitive presidential elections since 1963 when Kenya attained independence.
Gunshots were heard for the better part of the evening at Kisumu’s informal settlements of Manyatta, Nyalenda, Kisian and Kondele as some residents attempted to vent their anger on the streets after their preferred presidential candidate—Raila Odinga—was beaten By Uhuru Kenyatta, according to IEBC’s declaration.
All businesses, by 10-pm, were closed. Kisumu is Kenya’s third largest city after Nairobi and Mombasa.
The town’s main bus terminus remained closed for the whole of Friday.
Voters from one of Kenya’s industrial cities who spoke to this writer believe Raila won the 2017 presidential election but was rigged out although they do not have evidence to support their argument.
By 11.30pm gunshots could still be heard at Kisumu’s Central Business District.
Uhuru won the election after garnering 8,203,290 votes against Raila’s 6,762,224.