Celebrations as Jubilee supporters hail Uhuru’s win

Celebrations, dance and prayers characterised the joyful mood that engulfed Gatundu Town hours before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati declared President Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of the repeat presidential election.

And when the announcement was finally made, the celebrations went a notch higher.

Women and men, young and old and from all walks of life knelt on the road blocking traffic in thanksgiving prayers and sang pro-Jubilee songs and chanting 'Si uchawi ni maombi' to mean the election was won through prayers and not through witchcraft.

They also carried loaves of bread to signify that the president will not be sharing power with the opposition.

STORM OVER

Some of the placards they carried read 'The storm is now over', a clear indication of the relief that President Uhuru Kenyatta's victory meant for them.

"We know that Nasa leader Raila Odinga may run back to the Supreme Court to challenge this win but we are telling him even if he does so, we shall not tire re-electing Mr Kenyatta. This is a clean win and Raila should accept the results. His continued resistance isn't helping the country," said Charles Mwangi, a boda boda rider.

Ms Veronicah Kiarie, a trader at the Gatundu modern market said she hopes that calm and normalcy will return soon so that she can continue sourcing her sweet potatoes from Muthurwa market in nairobi in peace.

"The sweet potatoes I get from Muthurwa are grown in Kisii. Of late they have reduced in quantity and price has gone up due to transport issues between Kisii and Nairobi. The tension in Nairobi had also caused us so much fear that we had reduced our trips to the city and that affects our income a great deal," she told Nation.

ACCEPT DEFEAT

Mr Michael Njoroge, a staunch Jubilee supporter asked Mr Odinga to "accept defeat and join Jubilee Party to end the economic sabotage that has affected the country since the time when the August 8 presidential election was nullified".

He also commended Mr Odinga for his active role in the opposition saying it has put the government on toes and enabled it perform well in the last five years.

Gatundu Jubilee Party chairman David Ngobia congratulated Mr Kenyatta for his second win and wished him well in composing his new government.

The constituency which is President Kenyatta's home turf voted for him in numbers by giving him 75,858 votes while Raila garnered 49 votes.

NYERI

Nyeri residents were also in jubilation as Mr Chebukati announced results of the repeat presidential poll.

Kericho County also broke into celebrations following the announcement.

Kapsoit MCA Paul Tarimbo and his Kapkugerwet Counterpart Collins Sigei lead in the celebrations.

Kuresoi South MP, Joseph Tonui congratulated the president and his deputy William Ruto for emerging victorious in the poll.

“I call upon Raila Odinga to accept the results. We need a united and peaceful Kenya. In an election there is always a winner,” Mr Tonui said.

In Laikipia, residents light bonfires on the Nanyuki-Laikipia Air Base Road to celebrate President Kenyatta’s win.

And even though they were peaceful, they inconvenienced motorists using the busy road.

Additional reporting by, Joseph Kanyi, Anita Chepkoech and Joseph Openda