Ruto makes first appearance after election, meets AU observers

Deputy President William Ruto on Friday met the AU-Comesa Election Observer Mission at his Karen residence home, Nairobi.

After the meeting the Deputy President said the AU-Comesa team congratulated Kenya for a peaceful election.

The DP was joined by the top leadership of the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

The AU team is being led the former President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma. Also in the team is former President of Burundi, Domituen Ndayizeye, former President of Ethiopia, Mulatto Teshome and Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd.

Dr Ruto is among the four candidates who contested the presidential election, whose winner is yet to be announced.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is currently verifying and tallying the figures.

Dr Ruto, who was running on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, also met with the observers before election.

During that meeting, the DP said Kenya Kwanza Alliance was ready for the exercise and would accept the outcome of the election.

The observers also met Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition team led by its presidential candidate Raila Odinga.

On Thursday, East Africa Community (EAC) Observer Mission in Kenya lauded the electoral commission for carrying out a smooth exercise.

The head of the mission, former Tanzanian president, Jakaya Kikwete, lauded the police for not interfering with voting exercise.

“The mission commends IEBC for the successful use of the technology in voter registration, voter identification and the transmission of results,” Mr Kikwete said.

Mr Kikwete added that the use of the technology improved efficiency and increased transparency of the exercise, unlike in the previous elections.