Kenya Election: President elect William Ruto, says “I Will Work With The Opposition”

William Ruto speaks at Bomas of Kenya on August 15, 2022 after being declared Kenya’s President-elect. PHOTO | COURTESY

• Ruto intimated that his government would not lock out the opposition from State affairs but would allow them to perform their oversight role.

• In an unprecedented move, Ruto acknowledged his main political rival Raila Odinga for holding peaceful campaigns in the electioneering period.

President-elect William Ruto has vowed to incorporate his competitors in his administration for oversight purposes after he was declared winner of the hotly-contested State House race.

Speaking at Bomas of Kenya on Monday after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati announced his victory, Ruto intimated that his government would not lock out the opposition from State affairs but would allow them to perform their oversight role to enable the country move forward in peace.

“What the people of Kenya have done is that they have assigned us responsibilities. There will be those of us in the Executive and those of us who will oversee what we do in the executive. Both responsibilities, in government and in the opposition, are important to the people of Kenya,” said Ruto.

“I will run a transparent open democratic government and will work with the opposition to the extent that they provide oversight over my administration.”

In an unprecedented move, Ruto acknowledged his main political rival Raila Odinga for holding peaceful campaigns in the electioneering period.

“I want to thank my worthy competitor Raila Odinga for such a campaign that we all dwelt on issues as we tried to sell an agenda to the people of Kenya,” he stated.

“I want to promise that I will work with all elected leaders and all leaders in Kenya so that we can fashion a country that leaves no one behind.”

In the results announced by the IEBC boss, Ruto amassed 7,176,141 votes representing 50.49 per cent of the votes cast ahead of Odinga who garnered 6,942,930 votes representing 48.85 per cent.