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Julius Malema asks Raila Odinga to concede defeat


South African politician Julius Malema has asked Raila Odinga to concede defeat in the presidential race.

The controversial Malema, who doubles up as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party leader, has also congratulated President-elect William Ruto after he was announced winner of the presidential elections by the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati.

IEBC announced Ruto had garnered 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.59 percent of valid votes cast against Mr Odinga’s who garnered 6,942,930 votes.

“The EFF calls on rivals, the contestants, and in particular, Raila Odinga to accept the results of the elections and act with restraint with their supporters,” the statement read in part.

Mr Malema added it was high time that Africa as a continent re-lived the harrowing experience where brutal violence is always witnessed whenever presidential elections are held.

According to him, Kenya has continuously witnessed inter-tribal violence by losers in the national elections since the introduction of multiparty political dispensation in 1992 during the reign of the late President Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi.

He also called on the African Union and the regional body of East Africa states to monitor the situation and “never hesitate to refer any post-elections delinquent to the African Court of Human and People’s Rights for a swift justice.”

“The EFF calls on the President Elect and his supporters to be magnanimous in victory and Honorable Raila Odinga to be gracious in defeat for the good of peace and order in the nation of Kenya.”

The statement was made barely a day after Mr Odinga disputed the outcome of the elections saying that the announcement of the results has dealt a major setback on democracy in the country.

Addressing leaders of the Azimio La Umoja coalition and the press at the Kenyatta International Convention Center (KICC) on afternoon of Tuesday, August 16, 2022, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader suggested he will contest the outcome of the elections at the Supreme Court.

Mr Odinga faulted Mr Chebukati saying the figures he had announced were null and void as he urged that he be arraigned in a court of law.

In his victory speech, President-elect Ruto said that he was ready for any court battles just in case his opponents rejected the results.