Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta Deserves Support of the International Community

The people of Kenya have elected Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta as their president and William Ruto as the deputy president. This was the first election under a new constitution and also the first presidential election after the 2007 post-election violence. Although there were technical challenges with the electronic system that was meant to transmit results from the polling stations to the national tallying center, the election was largely free, fair and credible. Contrary to widespread predictions that the race would end in a runoff, Kenyatta was able to receive over 50 percent of the votes cast in the first round as required by the constitution for a candidate to be declared president.

The electoral process was managed by an electoral commission that is independent, and one that has conducted its business in an open and transparent manner. The commission set various eligibility requirements for the candidates to run for the presidency and other elected positions. The commission has also followed the election regulations guiding its operations. The reformed judiciary properly adjudicated the eligibility of the candidates. Thus, by all standards and provisions of Kenya’s new constitution, Uhuru Kenyatta has been duly elected the fourth president of the Republic of Kenya.

The election was conducted under intense international oversight of a large contingency of international observers. The general verdict of the observers is that the election was free and fair. Thus, the election of Kenyatta and Ruto is a true reflection of the will of the people of Kenya and is therefore an advancement of democracy in Kenya and Africa.

Kenyatta and Ruto’s win has not come easy. The two have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged involvement in the 2007 post-election violence. The ICC intervention in...READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION WEBSITE.

By Prof Mwangi S. Kimenyi.

Prof Kimenyi is senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. The founding executive director of the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (1999-2005), he focuses on Africa's development including institutions for economic growth, political economy, and private sector development.

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