In view of the uncertain situation following Kenya’s presidential election, outgoing head of state Uhuru Kenyatta has promised a “smooth” transfer of power. Kenya will “resolutely” uphold the principles of good governance so that the country remains a “shining example of democracy” on the African continent, Kenyatta’s office said on Twitter after the president’s meeting with religious dignitaries.
The head of state, who has been in office since 2013, had already made a similar statement to a delegation of US congressmen. Kenyatta, who did not run again after two terms, had supported his former rival Raila Odinga in the election campaign, which, according to the official result, was defeated. The outgoing president fell out with the winner, William Ruto, Kenyatta’s former deputy.
Ruto won the Aug. 9 election by just 233,000 votes ahead of Odinga, according to results published by the Electoral Commission. As a result, Ruto received 50.5 percent of the vote, Odinga 48.9 percent.
Kenyatta has yet to congratulate Ruto. Odinga considers the official result “null and void”. He announced on Tuesday that he would challenge it “with all legal means”. Within the electoral commission itself, four out of seven members had distanced themselves from the election results shortly before the official announcement. Odinga would have to file an objection with the Supreme Court by next Monday at the latest.
The climate in the East African country is extremely tense. Every election since 2002 has been controversial, and the reputation of the electoral commission has also suffered. In 2007 and 2008 in particular, violence erupted after the elections. More than 1,100 people died and hundreds of thousands were displaced.