Kenyan President Finally Speaks To President-Elect
Kenya’s newly elected president says he has had a phone conversation with outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta about the transition.
William Ruto said they spoke about the just-concluded election and the democratic transition:
Mr Kenyatta, who backed Mr Ruto’s rival Raila Odinga for the presidency, had not spoken to the newly elected president since he was declared the winner of the 9 August general election.
I had a telephone conversation with my boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta. We discussed the just concluded General Election and the transition as envisaged by our democratic tradition and practice.
In a media briefing on Monday after the Supreme Court confirmed him as the winner, the president-elect said that they had not spoken “for months”.
On the same day, President Kenyatta sent out a statement giving an assurance there would be a smooth transition, without mentioning Mr Ruto or congratulating him for the win.
Some Kenyans online have been criticizing Mr Kenyatta for being “petty” about the matter.
One Twitter user said: “Uhuru Kenyatta failed to mention his successor William Ruto in his seven-minute clip address from State House. He is being petty and childish.”
“Stop being petty and jealous Mr President. Be a gentleman, congratulate [Mr Ruto] and move on,” another user said.
Mr Ruto will be sworn in as president next Tuesday.
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