International criminal court indictee Uhuru Kenyatta was officially declared as the new president of Kenya.
Reports say Mr. Kenyatta won by small margins over his strong rival Raila Odinga who reportedly will not accept defeat and he will challenge the result for alleged widespread fraud during the election.
There were reported protests but remained peaceful in a country known for ethnic violence.
US Congratulates Kenya for peaceful election
In his remarks in Washington DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry congratulated the people of Kenya for voting peacefully on March 4 and all those elected to office.
He says across the country, Kenyans turned out by the millions to exercise their most fundamental democratic right.
“I am inspired by the overwhelming desire of Kenyans to peacefully make their voices heard, and I applaud the patience they have shown as votes were tallied.” – Secretary Kerry
The US strongly urges all parties and their supporters to peacefully address any disputes with today’s announcement by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission through the Kenyan legal system, rather than on the streets.
According to Secretary Kerry, these elections are an historic opportunity for the people of Kenya to come together to build a better future.
Since its independence in 1963, Kenya has been one of America’s strongest and most enduring partners in Africa, he said.
The US stands with Kenyan people at this historic moment and will continue to be a strong friend and ally of the Kenyan people.
Who is Uhuru Kenyatta?
Media reports say Kenyatta’s presidency has worried western governments for his international criminal court charges against him.
Mr. Kenyatta has been indicted by the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity and may face a trial this year at The Hague.
He is accused of helping to organize and fund violence following the elections five years ago, a charge he denies.
Kenyatta is the current deputy prime minister and the son of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta.
Kenyatta belongs to a Kikuyu tribe, the biggest of Kenya’s many tribes.
Remembering the presidential election in 2007
Post-elections violence rocked the country following the last presidential vote in 2007, killing at least 1,200 people and over 300,000 have been displaced since December 2007 elections in which President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga.
