President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday Aug. 18, 2022  met and held discussions with visiting US Senator Chris Coons who paid him a courtesy call at State House Nairobi. (Credit: twitter.com/StateHouseKenya)

By  Gary  Raynaldo   –  DIPLOMATIC   TIMES

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday met and held discussions with visiting US Senator Chris Coons who paid him a courtesy call at State House Nairobi in Kenya after the East African nation’s presidential election. Kenya’s Independent Electoral Bureau Commission (IEBC) on Monday 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”.  Senator Coons, who also met with presidential-elect Ruto and Odinga, said he has encouraged Kenya’s outgoing president to participate in a “peaceful transition of power.” The US Senator said he was hopeful.  Kenyatta had backed longtime rival and opposition leader Odinga in the election against his own deputy president Ruto, who had a harsh falling out with Kenyatta years earlier. 

“We are encouraged by the peace Kenya has continued to experience during this period,”  said Senator Coons.

President Kenyatta said Kenya will remain steadfast in entrenching the principles of good governance to ensure the country “upholds its position of a shinning example of democracy in the continent”  by maintaining peace during the transition period.

“My greatest desire is that peace will prevail and we may set an example in the continent and the world,” President Kenyatta said.

Also present during the talks were Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs) Betty Maina (Trade) and US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman among others.

US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman welcomes Senator Coons to Nairobi Aug. 18, 2022 (Credit: Twitter usambkenya)