I will not seek revenge, Ruto tells enemies
Kenyan President-Elect William Ruto (centre), standing next to his running mate Rigathi Gachaua, receives a certificate from Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati, at the IEBC Bomas of Kenya Tallying Centre in Nairobi on August 15, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Ruto assured his political enemies that he will not seek revenge against them.
- The President-elect further paid tribute to the IEBC, saying they are the hero of the elections.
- He lauded the IEBC boss for ensuring the electoral process was free and fair by allowing access to election results to all and sundry.
In his opening remarks soon after being declared the winner of the August 9 contest, President-elect William Ruto on Monday said that he will work with all elected leaders in his government as well as the opposition and unite Kenya.
He assured Kenyans regardless of their choice on the ballot that his government will be open to all.
“I want to promise the people of Kenya that I will run a democratic government and I will work with the opposition to the extent that they oversight the government,” Ruto said.
He also assured his political enemies that he will not seek revenge against them.
“I'm acutely aware that our country is at the stage where we need all hands on deck. We do not have the luxury to look back, we do not have the luxury to point fingers, we have to work together for a prosperous Kenya,” he said.
During his speech, Dr Ruto attributed his victory to God whom he said enabled him to waver the storms to become Kenya's fifth president.
God's Grace
Ruto said he managed to get to the finish line by God's Grace.
“I want to thank God that we are here this evening to witness this momentous occasion. I want to thank God that today we have concluded this election. I know that there were predictions that I would not get to the ballot, there were predictions that we wouldn't get here but because of God we are here,” the newly elected president said.
He further thanked Kenyans for upholding peace during the entire period, saying they have jointly with the candidates raised the bar.
“Gratitude goes to the millions of Kenyans who refused to be boxed into cocoons of ethnicity,” he said.
The President-elect said because of the bar raised by Kenyans means that no one lost the election as the election was not marred by any incidents.
He further paid tribute to the IEBC, saying they are the hero of the elections.
“I want to congratulate the IEBC for raising the bar and I want to say without any fear of contradiction that Wafula Chebukati is our hero,” Ruto said.
He lauded the IEBC boss for ensuring the electoral process was free and fair by allowing access to election results to all and sundry.
IEBC chairman made the announcement at the Bomas of Kenya on Monday, August 15, 2022, at 6:03 PM.
He said Dr Ruto had fulfilled the constitutional requirements after garnering 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast and he achieved the minimum number of 39 counties at 25%.
“In accordance with the Constitution and the law, chairperson of IEBC hereby declare that Ruto William Samoei has been duly elected as the President of the Republic of Kenya under the provision of Article 138 of the Constitution of the Presidential election held on August 9, 2022," said he said.
Mr Chebukati presented the certificate of presidential results to Mr Ruto to wild cheers from his supporters.
He was accompanied by deputy president-elect Rigathi Gachagua and his wife Rachel Ruto, who is the First Lady designate.
There was drama before Dr Ruto was declared the winner.
Azimio la Umoja Presidential candidate Raila Odinga's chief agent, Saitabao Ole Kanchuri, intimated that the systems used by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to tally the results of the presidential contest were compromised ahead of the official announcement by the electoral body.
