In the build-up to the August 9, General Election, President Uhuru Kenyatta endorsed his handshake partner Raila Odinga to take over from him after his retirement.
However, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) last month declared former Eldoret North MP William Ruto the fifth president-elect.
This saw the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party captain protest the results and moved to the Supreme Court to challenge Ruto’s victory
But on Monday, September 5, the seven members of the Supreme Court upheld IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati’s declaration that Ruto was legally elected into the office.
Three weeks since William Ruto was declared the fifth president-elect, the outgoing Head of State is yet to congratulate his-to-be successor for the win even after the two had a lengthy conversation on Thursday, September 7.
During an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, the president-elect however stated that he is not worried about being congratulated adding that it’s the “nature of politics.”
“Unfortunately, President Kenyatta has not seen it fit to congratulate me,” he said. “Maybe he’s a bit disillusioned or maybe he’s unhappy that I defeated his candidate, but that is the nature of politics.”
Ruto made the remarks just hours after President Uhuru Kenyatta swore to continue recognizing former Prime Minister Raila Odinga as his leader despite the latter’s loss in the August 9, presidential election.
Uhuru who was speaking in Kajiado on Wednesday, September 7, during an Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party parliamentary group at the Maasai Lodge vowed to handover the instruments of power to William Ruto but continue pledging his allegiance to Raila.
“Will hand over power smiling because it’s my constitutional duty to do so, but my leader is Baba Raila Odinga,
“Don’t think that you haven’t denied Raila. Kenyatta told Kenyans. You have denied yourself the opportunity of bringing the country together,” President Uhuru said.
