I will call Uhuru to discuss transition, says Ruto
President-elect William Ruto, while issuing his first speech after the Supreme Court upheld his win, has said he will reach out to his boss, outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, to discuss transition to a new administration.
He also revealed that he had not spoken to Mr Kenyatta in months.
"We will respect Mr Kenyatta in his retirement. We will give him the honour he deserves. We are not petty," Dr Ruto said.
The President-elect spoke in a televised speech from his official Karen residence in Nairobi, in the presence of his Kenya Kwanza allies.
Widening rift
Seemingly inseparable when they won their first presidential election in 2013, a rift began to form during the 2017 electioneering period, even as they united to go up against then-rival Raila Odinga.
However, foe turned friend as Mr Kenyatta mended fences with Mr Odinga with the famous 'Handshake' in 2018, and the rift between the President and his deputy grew.
The Supreme Court Monday afternoon upheld the election of William Samoei Ruto as Kenya’s fifth president, summing up the meteoric rise of a man who defied his boss and the sitting administration to be the country’s youngest Head of State.
The Chief Justice Martha Koome-led Bench unanimously threw out a petition by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition candidate Raila Odinga, who argued the declaration of Dr Ruto was null and void.
Justice Koome said that the court will first issue a summary, and then give the full judgment after 21 days.
The court, in its considered view, found no evidence of hacking and that no evidence was produced to show that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati and other IEBC staff were involved.
