William Samoei Ruto is the Fifth President of the Republic of Kenya (Source: World Trade Organization)
By Atwine Allen – DIPLOMATIC TIMES CORRESPONDENT
KAMPALA – UGANDA – Kenya’s Independent Electoral Bureau Commission (IEBC) officially declared Deputy President William Ruto of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance as the fifth president of the country after delays in counting the final votes. Ruto narrowly beat his rival, Raila Odinga, taking 50.5% of the vote, according to the official results. Odinga immediately disputed Ruto’s win, declaring that his coalition rejected “totally and without reservations the presidential results”. Although the campaign was surprisingly peaceful by East African standards, this was a bitterly contested election. Four electoral commissioners stormed out of the vote-counting center, and Odinga rejected the results even before they were announced. For now, Kenyans are looking to turn the page in the contested election saga and want the new government to get on with the business of addressing the economy that has been negatively impacted by COVID-19 pandemic. Kenya is East Africa’s most advanced economy. However, Ruto will inherit a badly damaged economy ravaged by high unemployment and inflation. There is also growing unrest among Kenya’s youth that had been festering against outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta for his failure to provide jobs.
Ruto Went From A Village Chicken Seller To President of KENYA
Ugandans wish President Ruto the best. His election was a surprise as he was not backed by the outgoing Kenya President Uhura Kenyatta. Odinga had the strong support from Kenyatta. Despite this, Ruto appeared to outwit his former allies to become Kenya’s Fifth President. Ruto is a man from “the streets” who came from humble beginnings rather than a political dynasty. Everyone is wondering how did this man make it to the top. One can just conclude that the man is hard working because he started everything from scratch. No influential rich family background is attributed to his rise like other presidents we have seen. They say he went from being a humble seller of chicken in the village and now he is in Kenya’s presidential palace.
Ugandans are congratulating our neighboring country that is Kenya for their new President Ruto and for the peaceful, fair elections.
There were no opposition and journalists being beaten on the streets. Many Kenyans were worried that perhaps this side or that side is going to rig the votes. But still the elections were peaceful.
Normally, in our East Africa countries during election campaigns, journalists are beaten up, others are killed, they are tortured, their cameras are taken away. Typically, the opposition side, it is always in trouble. It is a big lesson in democracy for other East African countries. Diplomatic Times East Africa Correspondent Atwine Allen spoke with Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene, who is Bugema University-Kasese Campus Study Center Director for his observations on the Kenya election. Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene said Kenya is way ahead of other East African countries in democracy.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – PEACEFUL KENYA ELECTION A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY FOR EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES
“In Kenya, there is something good to celebrate for peaceful, free and fair elections. The rest of East Africa countries need to learn from what took place in Kenya this time because normally the voters are the owners of power, and they are free to give the power to whom they think will serve them better.”
-Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene, Bugema University-Kasese Campus Study Center Director UGANDA
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – PEACEFUL KENYA ELECTION A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY FOR EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES
-Normally, in our East Africa countries during election campaigns, journalists are beaten up, others are killed, they are tortured, their cameras are taken away-
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – PEACEFUL KENYA ELECTION A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY FOR EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES
-Oftentimes, many African Leaders Want To Establish A Kingdom. Leadership is not supposed to be inherited. Leadership is a call that someone can check up for and reach it and do it. The Kenyans are not very rich. Generally, they have a society that is more or less like Uganda society. So, a leader (like Ruto) who understands the reality of the common life I think is a fit leader for now. How I wish he will not change to be something else tomorrow. Apart from what Kenya has done, and what I’ve seen in Tanzania, the rest of our African countries we have a tendency of having a fake kingdom in the name of Republic. In fact, if someone is to stay in power for ever and if he goes and is replaced by a close relative, if not a kid, that is a kingdom in the name of the Republic, but that is a fake kingdom. Those leaders don’t want to leave. And if they want to leave, they have to leave the person they trust the most who is part of them who cannot betray them. I want to summarize all the ideas in one word: GUILTY CONSCIENCE. They have a guilty conscience why? They have done a lot of evil.”
–-Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene, Bugema University-Kasese Campus Study Center Director UGANDA
DIPLOMATIC TIMES VIDEO – PEACEFUL KENYA ELECTION A LESSON IN DEMOCRACY FOR EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Tribalism Still A Challenge for KENYA Despite Peaceful, Fair Election
Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene is of the opinion that despite the peaceful, fair presidential election, tribalism is still a challenge for Kenya. He said Kenya still has a gap of tribalism. Kenyans are still seeing themselves in tribes, Nsanzabaganwa Theogene believes.
“The fair election is a good step, but setting a country in the context of a tribe is still tragic (in Africa). It is still a big problem and Kenya is not immune to that. So let me hope that President Ruto will set a good standard much as he comes from Kalenjin. Let me expect hope that in his leadership all Kenyans will be included equally, then Kenya will be a very different country. You see, everything dies in the hands of leaders, and everything also prospers, survives in the hands of the leaders.”
—-Mr. Nsanzabaganwa Theogene, Bugema University-Kasese Campus Study Center Director UGANDA
