Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has congratulated Kenya’s President-Elect William Ruto on his win.
William Ruto has been declared President-Elected after a closely fought race in the contested elections held on 9 August (50.5 per cent of the vote compared to the 48.8 per cent of his main opponent, Raila Odinga).
“I’m proud of the example of civility, dedication and decorum displayed by the electoral and judicial institutions of Kenya,” Scotland said.
“The commitment of all parties to Kenya’s election resolution procedures and their recognition of the Supreme Court decision is an excellent demonstration of Kenya’s love for the values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.”
The Secretary-General further encouraged Kenya to unite and move forward together as one country, one democracy, with an accountable government and a responsible opposition.
“I celebrate deputy President-Elect Ruto and former Prime Minister Odinga for their statesmanship and show of respect for the country’s democratic institution,” she added.
“I united myself to the feelings expressed by the Deputy Chief Justice when she noted that we must be mindful that many Kenyans will today be upset that their candidate has lost.
“I urge continued magnanimity by the victors, and acceptance of the judgment by those who wanted a different outcome.
“In due course, the Supreme Court will issue its full judgment, in which it will offer recommendations for reform. The Commonwealth stands ready to assist in whatever way is deemed helpful, and I am certain that the findings and recommendations of the Commonwealth Observer Group will be of huge assistance to help Kenya continue walking the democratic path.”
She finally thanked the Commonwealth Election Observer Group who supervised the elections to ensure transparency across the whole process.
