By MARY WAMBUI

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Kenya’s top national security team says the country is safe and secure, even as top candidate Raila Odinga on Tuesday rejected results of a contest to replace President Uhuru Kenyatta.

The National Security and Advisory Committee (NSAC) said further “constitutional” procedures will follow after Deputy President William Ruto was declared President-elect on Monday.

But Mr Odinga said his coalition, Azimio la Umoja One Kenya, “totally and without reservation reject the results that were announced yesterday.”

Mr Odinga said the tally of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which awarded him 48.8 percent against Ruto’s 50.49 percent was “null and void” because four other commissioners of the electoral body were not given the opportunity to scrutinise the figures.

Read: How Ruto won State House race

He spoke just after the four commissioners, separately, claimed the total tally as announced exceeded the 100 percent of the total votes cases, something they claimed defeated logic.

Earlier, Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, who chairs the security team, said Kenyans should resume their normal day-to-day activities and businesses as further constitutional processes for the transition take place in the coming days.

“The government has and continues to take all necessary measures to ensure that the entirety of the country is safe and secure and calls on all Kenyan and business communities to resume their normal daily activities and get back to the business of building our great nation,” he said.

Mr Kinyua added that the National Security and Advisory Committee held a meeting Tuesday morning to assess and consider the security situation in the country.

“On behalf of the committee I am pleased to confirm that our nation remains peaceful and secure. We laud all Kenyans for a high degree of civic duty and demonstrating tremendous patience as we waited for the declaration of the presidential election results,” he added.

Also read: African leaders congratulate William Ruto for winning Kenyan election

In the briefing, also attended by Mr Kinyua’s Deputy Wanyama Musyambo, Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai, Interior Permanent Secretary Karanja Kibicho, Secretary for Internal Security Wilson Njega, Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ambassador Macharia Kamau and other senior government officials, NSAC also took note of the general good conduct of security agents during the electioneering period that promoted public order during the election period.

“We also appreciate the National Police Service and all other security agencies for the remarkable work done in maintaining law and order during this election period. The declaration of the presidential election results set in motion other constitutional processes for the transition going forward,” added Mr Kinyua.

A number of businesses were closed on Tuesday last week when Kenyans participated in the general elections after which they re-opened the next day and remained in business until Monday afternoon, when most businesses in Nairobi and major towns across the country closed, following an announcement that IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati was expected to announce the winner of the presidential polls.

Many streets were deserted as Kenyans rushed home to await the announcement.

Also read: Observer group's parallel tally almost similar to IEBC results

Despite the chaotic scenes witnessed at the Bomas, the National Tallying Centre in Nairobi, there were only a few other isolated incidents of violence and hooliganism after the announcement of the election results. The country remained relatively peaceful and calm.

However, the brutal killing of Embakasi East Constituency’s Returning Officer, has again cast a dark shadow over the elections.

Mr Daniel Mbolu Musyoka, 53, disappeared on August 11 under unclear circumstances and was found dead on Tuesday evening at the Amboseli National Park in Kajiado South Sub-County.