NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug, 15 – Moments after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati declared United Democratic Alliance (UDA) presidential candidate William Ruto President-Elect in the concluded presidential elections, foreign leaders have already sent in their messages of congratulations to him.
Kenya’s neighbour to the North, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed congratulated Ruto for his win pledging to work with him as the two countries continue to strengthen bilateral talks.
Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa also congratulated Ruto and urged him to serve Kenya with distinction.
Somalian President Hassan Sheikh said he looked forward to advancing the working relationship of both countries.
Former Somalian president Mohammed Farrago also congratulated Ruto saying that he had ran an enriching and overpowering campaign.
The tight presidential race saw Ruto emerge victorious in the announcement made by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wfula Chebukati.
Chebukati said that Ruto garnered 7,176,141 votes representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast nationwide.
“He achieved the minimum number of 39 counties at 25 per cent,” he said.
“In accordance with the constitution and the law, I Wafula Chebukati, Chairperson of the IEBC, hereby declare that Ruto William Samoei, has been duly elected as the president of the Republic of Kenya under the provisions of article 138 of the constitution in the presidential election held on August 9, 2022,”
Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance presidential candidate Raila Odinga emerged second in the race garnering, 6,942,930 votes. This represents 48.85 per cent of the total votes cast.
Other candidates in the race included Roots Party’s George Wajackoyah who garnered 61,969 representing 0.44 per cent of the total votes cast. He came in third in the race.
Agano party’s David Mwaure Waihiga who came in fourth garnered 31,987 votes which represents 0.23 per cent of the total votes cast.
In his speech after being handed his certificate from the IEBC chairperson, Chebukati, Ruto thanked Kenyans for believing in him and electing him as the country’s fifth president.
“It is a wonderful evening and I want to thank God that we are here to witness this momentous occasion as the people of Kenya re-state what is in article 1 of the constitution of Kenya that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya,” said Ruto.
Ruto said that Kenya had raised the bar on elections as opposed to the ethnic configurations that have in the past dominated Kenya’s elections.
“Gratitude goes to the millions of Kenyans who refused to be boxed in tribal cocoons. The people of Kenyans have raised the bar on us who are seeking leadership in our country.. not to sell our ethnicities but to sell our programmes, manifestos, agenda, and plans,”
He also thanked his boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta and his competitor Raila Odinga saying that there is no loser in this election.
“I want to thank my worth competitor Raila Odinga for a campaign that we all dwelled on issues and we tried to see an agenda to the people of Kenya. I want o promise that I will work with all elected leaders and all leaders in Kenya so that we can fashion a country that leaves nobody behind,”
Despite lingering questions on the capability of the IEBC to conduct elections, Ruto said that the poll body also raised the bar on elections management in Kenya.
“The hero of this election is the IEBC led by Wafula Chebukati, I say this with conviction the IEBC mazed all of us. With the result on the public portal, all the servers were opened and all you needed was a simple calculator and you had the results. I want to thank the IEBC for raising the bar. Wafula Chebukati is our hero, soft-spoken but firm,” said Ruto.
“I will build on the foundation that president kenyatta and I put together and take this country to the next level,”
Ruto said that as president he will work with elected leaders and all leaders in Kenya to build a better Kenya.
He further said that he will also work with the opposition to ensure they carry out their oversight role while promising to run an open transparent government.
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