Politics

William Ruto sworn in as president following contested elections

Nairobi, Sep 13 (EFE).- William Ruto was sworn in Tuesday as new president of Kenya in a ceremony attended by thousands of supporters and government officials including delegations from the United States and European Union.

“I, William Samoei Ruto, swear that I will truly and diligently serve the people and the republic of Kenya,” Ruto said amid cheering crowds waving Kenyan flags.

The ceremony was held at the 60,000-seater Kasarani Stadium in the outskirts of the capital city of Nairobi.

The swearing in comes after Kenya’s Supreme Court upheld Ruto’s victory in the August 9 presidential elections, dismissing a petition filed by runner-up Raila Odinga who contested the results.

Ruto, who replaces Uhuru Kenyatta, emerged as the winner of the election with 50.4% of the votes against Odinga, who secured 48.8%.

On August 22, Odinga and his running mate, Martha Karua, submitted a petition complaining of a corrupt process that led to his opponent’s narrow victory.

It was the fifth time Odinga, 77, contested results during his decades-long career as an opposition leader that has seen him lose five presidential elections.

The legal battle over the election results plunged the country into a period of uncertainty, sparking fears of a repeat of the violence sparked by previous elections.

Ruto is Kenya’s fifth president since independence in 1963. EFE

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