A US senator has said that he encouraged Kenya’s outgoing president in the wake of the latest election crisis.
During his visit to Kenya, Senator Chris Coons stated to The Associated Press that he had expressed the hope during talks with him that there would be a peaceful transfer of power.
Coons also said that he discussed with President Uhuru Kenyata how Kenyatta could play “constructive peacemaking” roles after he leaves office in coming weeks.
Kenyatta’s silence since the August 9th election has added to the anxiety. Kenya is now facing post-election uncertainty, and a possible court challenge from Raila Odinga, who was the losing candidate.
Coons was part of a congressional delegation visiting Africa.
Kenyatta had backed Odinga (long-time rival, opposition leader) in the close race for his deputy president against William Ruto who had fallen out with Kenyatta years back.
Ruto was declared the winner Monday, but not before Kenya’s peacefulst election ever plunged into chaos in its final moments.
The electoral commission was divided in two, each accusing the other side of trying to tinker the results.
Many Kenyans were shocked when the results of the country’s 46-thousand polling stations were posted online. This was widely considered to be the most transparent election in Kenyan history.
Now Odinga almost certainly is going to challenge the Supreme Court’s results. His campaign has seven days to file a challenge to the results of the Supreme Court. The court will then have 14 days to rule.
Odinga urged supporters to be patient and not to take to the streets in a country that has a history of deadly post-election violence.
The US delegation also visited the Kibera shantytown’s medical center, which was funded in partnership with the US.
Coons, a member the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has already visited Cape Verde, Mozambique, and will be visiting Tunisia.
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