Russia Congratulates President-Elect Ruto on Election Victory

Russia has congratulated outgoing Deputy President William Ruto after being declared the winner of the August 9th presidential election.

In a brief statement on Thursday, the Russian Embassy in Kenya expressed confidence that the relationship between the two countries will strengthen under president-elect Ruto’s administration. 

“The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Kenya has the honor to congratulate H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto upon the announcement of him being elected as President of Kenya,” reads the statement.

“We are confident that the friendly relations between our two countries and peoples will be reinvigorated and further strengthened.”

Others who congratulated Ruto include President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangwagwa, Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye, Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera and Somalia’s Hassan Mohamud.

Ruto was declared the winner of the August 9th presidential election after garnering 7,176,141, representing 50.49 percent of the total votes.

His main competitor Raila Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition secured 6,942,930 votes (48.85 percent), followed by Roots Party candidate George Wajackoyah (61,969 votes) and David Mwaure (1,987 votes).

Odinga has since rejected the results of the election and has vowed to challenge them at the Supreme Court.