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STORY: Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto has won the country's presidential election, the electoral commission said on Monday (August 15).

But it was an announcement amid chaotic scenes - with scuffles breaking out and electoral commission officials disowning the results.

Juliana Cherera, the electoral commission's deputy chairperson told a media briefing that she and three other commissioners were not able to take "ownership" of the results.

"...because of the opaque nature which this results have been handled."

Minutes later at the announcement hall, the head of the electoral commission Wafula Chebukati took to the stage to announce the result.

Diplomats and international observers had been hurried out moments before.

Fights had also broke out as supporters of Ruto's main opponent Raila Odinga rushed the stage.

Chebukati said Ruto had passed the 50% threshold needed to win the presidency.

"7,176,141."

Odinga did not attend the announcement.

Ruto hailed the electoral commission as "heroes" and said there is "no looking back, we are looking to the future."

But the manner in which the result was announced will add to fears that the past could be about to repeat.

Kenya has a history of post-election violence.

More than 1,200 people died following a vote in 2007, 100 were killed after an election a decade later.

In Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold in Western Kenya, the reaction was immediate.

Several black plumes of smoke rose around a roundabout as people burned piles of tires.

Police fired tear gas at protesters amid shouts of "Chebukati must go" and "No Raila, no peace".