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Zvamaida Murwira-Senior Reporter

Pan African Parliament President Chief Fortune Charumbira has congratulated Kenyan President-elect William Ruto for winning the presidential election in that country and urged the incoming government to shift focus from the election hype to focus on the socio-economic development of the East African country.

In a statement, Chief Charumbira said the Supreme Court judgment declaring President-elect Ruto as the winner was an indictment of the independence of the judiciary in that country.

President-elect Ruto

On Monday, the Supreme Court of Kenya dismissed an election petition by Mr Raila Odinga of the National Rainbow Coalition Orange Democratic Movement challenging the decision by that country’s Kenya Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission to declare vice president Ruto as the winner of the tensely contested polls.

“The unanimous confirmation by the Supreme Court of the results of General elections held on 9 August 2022, attests to the unfettered independence of the judiciary which is a critical tenet of democracy, as well as Kenya’s institutional commitment to representative democracy and respect for the will of the people,” said Chief Charumbira.

He said PAP was proud to have been part of the election observer mission for the just-ended election in Kenya.

“As the continental representative institution whose sacred mandate is drawn from the African citizenry, we are gratified to note and identify with Kenya’s burgeoning democracy and political tolerance. Despite widespread uncertainty across the country arising from the protracted election challenge, the people of Kenya exorcised the ghost of the past by waiting patiently for the Supreme Court to pronounce itself on the outcome of the elections without resorting to violence,” said Chief Charumbira.

“We thus implore His Excellency President designate and the people of Kenya to immediately shift attention from the elections whose outcome has been validated by the Supreme Court to focus on spurring the socio-economic development of this great African country,” said Chief Charumbira.

He commended President-elect Ruto for extending a conciliatory hand to his political election rivals, former Prime Minister Odinga who was backed by the outgoing president Uhuru Kenyatta.

“In that regard, we welcome the conciliatory tone adopted by His Excellency President-elect Ruto and undertake to hold him to account for his promise to extend a hand of friendship to his political opponents and unite Kenya in the endeavour to build a country that every Kenyan will be proud to call home,” said Chief Charumbira.

President-designate Ruto has since committed to reaching out to Mr Odinga so that they work together for the good of that country.

Kenya and the African continent have been waiting with anxiety for the conclusion of the Kenyan election following bickering on the process by political parties involved.