Nairobi – In a televised address to the nation soon after the Supreme Court declared he was validly elected as Kenya’s fifth president, William Ruto pledged to transform the economy, ensure growth was shared evenly, and unite the country after a fractious campaign season, Xinhua news agency reports.
“The journey for transforming this country's economy and open opportunities for everyone regardless of ethnic origin, creed, gender, and political persuasion has begun,” he said.
Ruto, who will turn 56 on December 21, was declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on August 15, after garnering 7.17 million (50.49%) of 14.1 million votes cast during the August 9 polls.
His closest rival in the race, veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, garnered 6.9 million or 48.85% of the votes cast but disputed Ruto's victory, citing electoral malpractice.
Odinga and a host of civil society activists later filed a petition at the Supreme Court to overturn Ruto's victory, but in their ruling on Monday the seven bench judges of the apex court dismissed the consolidated petitions, citing a lack of tangible evidence.
By upholding Ruto as validly elected fifth president, the court paved the way for his swearing-in after one week as stipulated in the country's constitution.
Ruto, who made history by becoming president in his first attempt, vowed to reach out to political competitors to build a united, prosperous and democratic country.
“Now that the lengthy protracted electoral cycle has come to an end, I will extend a hand of friendship to my worthy competitors to build a society of hope, opportunity, and progress,” said Ruto.
He pledged to build on the legacy of his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, and to ensure that other national leaders were accorded respect and protection in their retirement.
Ruto said his administration would respect the rule of law, nurture political pluralism, and ensure independent institutions were adequately funded and shielded from meddling by the executive arm of government.
He said that during his first 100 days in office, he would implement an ambitious framework to tackle youth unemployment and ease inflationary pressures on households.
Ruto takes over the reins of power at a time when Kenyans are reeling from an economic downturn linked to a prolonged drought, pandemic-related disruptions, and the Ukraine war.