William Ruto was sworn in as Kenya’s fifth president on Tuesday, September 13, following his tight victory over Raila Odinga in a highly fought but generally fair election.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo was present at the occasion, standing in for President Muhammadu Buhari, with tens of thousands of people at Kasarani stadium in Nairobi.
The Vice President was joined on the occasion by Ambassador Zubairu Dada, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters.
Raila Odinga, the defeated candidate and former prime minister of Kenya, did not attend, having “serious concerns” about his opponent’s victory.
Mr Ruto defeated Mr Odinga in the election with 50.5% of the vote to his opponent’s 48.8%. The Supreme Court found the election to be free and fair despite Mr Odinga’s claims that the outcome was rigged.
Ruto was portrayed by his campaign as a “hustler” with a modest upbringing who sold chickens on the side of the road while wearing no shoes. But Ruto was given strong political advice by former president Daniel Arap Moi when he was a young man.
Moi presided over a one-party government for many years before Kenyans successfully pushed for multiparty elections.
Ruto now speaks about democracy and has promised there won’t be any resistance against differing opinions.
