Uhuru Kenyatta extends olive branch to opposition

Uhuru Kenyatta has extended an olive branch to his main challenger, NASA candidate Raila Odinga asking him and others in opposition to join the new government and all citizens of Kenya to build their country.

The IEBC Chairman, Wafula Chebukati made the declaration at 10:17pm on Friday evening at the Bomas of Kenya, the headquarters of the electoral body.

Kenyatta, the incumbent President garnered 8,203,290 votes representing 54.27% of the total votes leading his strongest contender, Raila Odinga who got 6,762,224 votes with 44.74%.

Kenyatta got 25% win of votes in 35 counties (more than half of the total 47 counties), as the constitution requires to avoid a second round of voting.

“I therefore wish to declare Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta as President-elect and Hon. William Ruto as the Deputy President-elect,” Chebukati announced as Kenyatta’s supporters inside the national tally centre at Bomas broke out in chats of praises clapping and thanking God.

Outside the Bomas, crowds could be seen jubilating and waving Kenyan flags in celebration of Kenyatta’s victory.

President-elect Kenyatta who now wins his second term in office was present at Bomas at the time of the IEBC announcement along with his wife Margaret Kenyatta and Deputy President-elect William Ruto.

In his acceptance speech shortly after receiving a certificate of victory from the electoral commission chairman, Kenyatta thanked the people of Kenya for having confidence in him as well as the IEBC for doing a commendable job throughout the electoral process.

“I would love to thank God for the favor he has shown us and secondly, the people of Kenya for the confidence they have shown in me, my administration,” Kenyatta said.

“To them, ours is just a pledge that we shall continue with the work we already started. I pledge that I will leave this country better than I found it and that we shall rededicate ourselves even more towards serving this nation,” he added.

Kenyatta rallied the opposition especially those who lost the election to join hands with the new government and work towards building the country. NASA rejected the election results as ‘fraud’ days before the winner was declared claiming the IEBC system had been hacked and results altered in Kenyatta’s favor.

“To our brothers who were worthy competitors, we are not enemies. We are all citizens of one republic. I extend a hand of friendship, partnership and cooperation knowing fully well, that this country needs all of us pulling together in order for us to succeed,” he said.

To Odinga and those elected on opposition tickets, Kenyatta stated; “We shall work together and we are ready to dialogue together so that we can build this nation of ours together. I reach out to you, to all your supporters and to all those elected to the opposition bench. We shall work together to build this nation.

He reiterated an appeal he made throughout his campaign calling on Kenyans to stay united and peaceful, saying unlike elections and politicians that come and go, Kenya is here to stay.