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This time the new president of Kenya is William Ruto

  • International
  • 16 August, 2022 15:40:16

Photo: Collected

International Desk: William Ruto has been elected as the new president in Kenya, the richest country in East Africa. The head of the country's Electoral Commission on Monday (August 15) declared Deputy President William Ruto the winner of the presidency.

Ruto said immediately after the election results, we will not look back. We look to the future. We all need unity to move forward.

Ruto, 55, has pledged to work for low-income people in his campaign to become Kenya's fifth president.

Kenya is considered one of the most dynamic democratic countries in Africa. Presidential, parliamentary and local elections were held there last Tuesday. In the election, incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed his longtime rival, Raila Odinga. William Ruto won the presidency by a narrow margin over his nearest rival former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. According to Electoral Commission data, William Ruto received 50.49 percent of the votes.

After taking office, Ruto will have to deal with the country's economic and social crisis, with poor Kenyans already at risk from Covid. The impact of global food and fuel prices has also affected the country's economy. Drought in 40 years is causing massive crop losses in the northern part of the country. 4.1 million people in the country have become dependent on food aid.

Ruto heads the Kenya Kwanzaa (Kenya First) coalition. Kenyans have been waiting for the final results of the elections held almost a week ago for the past few days. Minutes before Electoral Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati declared Ruto the winner, his deputy Juliana Cherera told the media in a separate location that she and three other commissioners had rejected the results. He said, due to the opaque nature of the final phase, I cannot take responsibility for the results that will be announced. There are seven commissioners in the Election Commission.

Elections in Kenya have also seen widespread violence. 1,200 people were killed in election violence in 2007 and 100 in 2017.

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