Former Deputy President William Ruto has been elected as the new President of Kenya. The country’s election chief declared Deputy President Ruto the winner of the presidency on Monday. However, some senior election officials denied the results. Reuters news.
Such controversies have been seen even after the announcement of the country’s previous election results. Later it turned into violent protests.
Congratulating the Electoral Commission as ‘heroes’ after the announcement of the winner, Ruto said, ‘There is no need to look back. We are looking to the future. If we want to move forward, we need everyone’s cooperation.’
According to a BBC report, William Ruto narrowly defeated his nearest rival former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. According to official data, Ruto received 50.5 percent of the vote.
Ruto, 55, made the country’s class divisions central to his campaign to become Kenya’s fifth president.
He also expressed disdain for Kenyan political dynasties. His opponents are Raila Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta, sons of the nation’s First Vice President and President respectively. Kenyatta is serving two terms as president. He withdrew his support from Ruto after the last election and this time supported Odinga.
This was Ruto’s fifth attempt to win the presidency.
However, after gaining power, Ruto will have to deal with the current crisis in one of East Africa’s most powerful economies. Because poor Kenyans are already suffering from the effects of Covid-19 due to rising global prices of food and fuel.
The country has experienced the worst drought in its 40-year history. 4.1 million people in northern Kenya are currently dependent on food aid. As a result, the debt level of the country has also increased.
(16 Aug)