Gunshots sounded through Nairobi and properties were set alight after Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victor in Kenya’s fiercely-contested presidential elections that the opposition claims was riddled with irregularities.

Mr Kenyatta of the Jubilee party, who was vying for a second and final term, won with 54.3 per cent of the vote to Raila Odinga’s 44.7 per cent, a margin of 1.4 million votes. The winner was required to pass a threshold of 50 per cent by one vote.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Kenyatta, from the Kikuyu tribe, urged his opponents and their supporters to set aside their differences and come together as one nation after what has been a divisive and bitter campaign. “To our brothers, our worthy competitors, we are not enemies,” he said.

“Elections come and go, Kenya is here to stay,” he added. “There is no need for violence.”

In Kibera, where many residents belong to Mr Odinga’s Luo tribe, residents reported screaming and gunfire, which rang out across parts of the city, and said that rioters were setting fire to Kikuyu properties. Clashes between protesters and police were also being reported in Kisumu in western Kenya, where Mr Odinga enjoys strong support.

International observers and envoys earlier appealed to the losing side to accept defeat amid fears that Mr Odinga, who has repeatedly asserted that the vote was rigged, could incite his supporters to take to the streets in violent protest.

Kenya, East Africa’s most vibrant and developed democracy, has a history of tense and disputed elections, when tribal divisions often manifest themselves into violent unrest. In 2007, flawed elections plunged the country into its most deadly turmoil in decades, with ethnically-motivated attacks leaving more than 1,200 people dead, and some 600,000 displaced.

Tensions started to rise as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) delayed its announcement of results while it scrambled to gather the last remaining vote tally forms from constituencies around the country. A promised announcement yesterday - three days after the vote took place - was repeatedly postponed, and finally delivered at around 10.30 pm.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 11 August 2020 French Prime Minister Jean Castex is helped by a member of staff to put a protective suit on prior to his visit at the CHU hospital in Montpellier AFP via Getty World news in pictures 10 August 2020 Locals harvest their potatoes as Mount Sinabung spews volcanic ash in Karo, North Sumatra province, Indonesia Antara Foto/Reuters World news in pictures 9 August 2020 Doves fly over the Peace Statue at Nagasaki Peace Park during the memorial ceremony held for the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombing EPA World news in pictures 8 August 2020 Anti-government protesters try to remove concrete wall that installed by security forces to prevent protesters reaching the Parliament square, during a protest against the political elites and the government after this week's deadly explosion in Beirut AP World news in pictures 7 August 2020 A protester throws a stone towards Israeli forces in the village of Turmus Aya, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, following a march by Palestinians against the building of Israeli settlements AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 August 2020 A woman yells as soldiers block a road for French President Emmanuel Macron's visit the Gemmayzeh neighborhood. The area in Beirut suffered extensive damage from the explosion at the seaport AP World news in pictures 5 August 2020 Damage at the site of Tuesday's blast in Beirut's port area, Lebanon Reuters World news in pictures 4 August 2020 A large explosion in the Lebanese capital Beirut. The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt in several parts of the city AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 August 2020 A general view shows the new road bridge in Genoa, Italy ahead of its official inauguration, after it was rebuilt following its collapse on August 14, 2018 which killed 43 people Reuters World news in pictures 2 August 2020 Empty stall spaces are seen hours before a citywide curfew is introduced in Melbourne, Australia EPA World news in pictures 1 August 2020 People take part in a demonstration by the initiative "Querdenken-711" with the slogan "the end of the pandemic - the day of freedom" to protest against the current measurements to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Berlin, Germany AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 July 2020 Pilgrims circumambulating around the Kaaba, the holiest shrine in the Grand mosque in Mecca. Muslim pilgrims converged today on Saudi Arabia's Mount Arafat for the climax of this year's hajj, the smallest in modern times and a sharp contrast to the massive crowds of previous years Saudi Ministry of Media/AFP World news in pictures 30 July 2020 The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission lifts off at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The mission is part of the USA's largest moon to Mars exploration. Nasa will attempt to establish a sustained human presence on and around the moon by 2028 through their Artemis programme EPA World news in pictures 29 July 2020 A woman refreshes herself in a outdoor pool in summer temperatures in Ehingen, Germany dpa via AP World news in pictures 28 July 2020 Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak speaks to the media after he was found guilty in his corruption trial in Kuala Lumpur AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 July 2020 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un poses for a photograph after conferring commemorative pistols to leading commanding officers of the armed forces on the 67th anniversary of the "Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War". Which marks the signing of the Korean War armistice KCNA via Reuters

Speaking a few hours before the official announcement, the opposition Nasa party, whose 72-year-old flagbearer Mr Odinga has claimed he was cheated of victory in 2007 and 2013 elections, said it rejected both the process and the result.

“We raised some very serious concerns, they have not responded to them. As Nasa, we shall not be party to the process they are about to make,” senior opposition official Musalia Mudavadi said.

James Orengo, a senior election agent for the opposition, said the process had been a “charade.”

He added that Kenyans had a history of challenging elections. “The Kenyan people have never disappointed. Every time an election has been stolen, the Kenyan people have stood up to make sure changes are made to make Kenya a better place,” he said.

“Nobody should think that this is the end of the matter,” he added. “Going to court, for us, is not an alternative. We have been there before.“

The opposition’s rejection of the result immediately raised the prospect of an eruption of violence across the country, with Mr Odinga’s supporters convinced that the election was theirs for the taking.

Riots break out after Kenya election's contested result

But few predict trouble on the scale of 2007, when the Kalenjin and Kikuyu tribes rose up against each other. Mr Kenyatta, a member of the Kikuyu elite, and William Ruto of the Kalenjin, subsequently allied with each other in the 2013 elections as they fought charges of orchestrating the violence by the International Criminal Court. The charges were later dropped for lack of evidence - with the two men having denied the charges against them.

Since the preliminary results started trickling out, muted protests have rocked slum areas in Nairobi, and Kisumu, an opposition stronghold in western Kenya, in recent days, with at least three people killed. In Kibera, where poverty-stricken residents live less than half a mile from affluent suburbs, many said they were waiting for the call to action from the opposition leader. As of last night, areas of Nairobi were essentially in lockdown, and patrolled by a heavy security presence.

“The result has not been handled well, and people are worried,” said Kibera resident Michael Okithi, 26. In the event of a Jubilee win, he predicted, “there will be chaos. A lot of people will die.”

This election has been seen as an important test case for the IEBC, heavily tainted in the past by a perception that it was biased towards the ruling party. At the opposition’s instigation, new commissioners were appointed ahead of the 2017 polls. Observers have widely praised the electoral process as the most organised and transparent in the country’s history. More than 40,000 polling stations were equipped with biometric kits, and preliminary figures streamed live on the electoral body’s website.

As the provisional results from Tuesday’s vote gave Mr Kenyatta a commanding lead, Mr Odinga’s Nasa party came out the next day to denounce the election as a “sham” and a “massive fraud,” tying the murder of a senior election official a week before elections to a hack of IEBC servers, and a falsifying of results. It provided no evidence to support its claims.

The IEBC robustly defended itself against the opposition’s allegations, and described claims by the opposition that the IEBC had an alternative tally on its servers as “grossly inaccurate and premature.”

Despite subsequent dismissal of Mr Odinga’s claims, there are concerns about the tallying process. Critical to the transparency of these elections was the scanning of signed forms showing the results at the same time as the tallies were submitted by polling stations to their constituencies by text message. But roughly 11,000 forms were not uploaded, and the IEBC has given no explanation for the apparent break-down in this process, which must be followed by law.

“It creates an impression that some mischief is going on,” said Patrick Gathara, a Nairobi-based political analyst. “That was the whole point of the electronic system. The main problem [in previous elections] was [that] en route from the polling station to the tallying centre, things got changed.”

The international community, which includes an observer mission led by John Kerry, former US Secretary of State, has strongly urged Nasa to take the matter of irregularities down the constitutional route. After a challenge has been filed at the Supreme Court, it has 14 days to rule.