William Ruto sworn inside while Kenya's president following near vote
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — William Ruto was sworn inside while Kenya's president on Tuesday following narrowly winning the Aug. 9 election inside East Africa's most firm democracy, with every one other accompanied by fast signaled that his leadership would exist a strongly Christian one.
The Supreme Court last week rejected a be brave enough by losing candidate with every one other accompanied by longtime opposition figure Raila Odinga to the official results, completing a markedly tranquil election.
The 55-year-old Ruto had been the deputy to outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta nevertheless had a sharp split accompanied by Kenyatta that left-hand the set of two not speaking for months at a time. On Tuesday, the audience cheered while the set of two shook hands, with every one other accompanied by on one occasion additional while Kenyatta handed over the instruments of power.
Ruto, who had dropped to his knees inside tears with every one other accompanied by invocation when the court of rules and regulations upheld his win, knelt on the phase minutes following his swearing-in throughout an extended sermon. "A chicken seller to a president," intoned the pastor, highlighting Ruto's humble youth.
Ruto's earliest tweet quoted Psalms: "This is the day the Lord has made; permit us rejoice with every one other accompanied by exist pleased inside it."
The event began accompanied by some chaos. Scores of people were crushed with every one other accompanied by injured while they forced their way into the packed stadium. A medic said a fence fell down following people pushed it with every one other accompanied by concerning 60 were injured, though the number may rise.
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"We had to behave towards some accompanied by slight injuries. Most of them were rushed to the main medical organization inside Nairobi," Peter Muiruri said. There were no indeed reports of deaths.
People tried to dodge baton-wielding safety forces. Some failed. "I was beaten by the police following trying to obtain inside," said one witness, Benson Kimutai.
Ruto is taking ability inside a country laboriously burdened by bill that will be brave enough his efforts to fulfill sweeping military operation promises made to Kenya's poor.
With the transition, Kenya's presidency moves from one leader indicted by the International Criminal Court to another. Both Kenyatta with every one other accompanied by Ruto were indicted over their roles inside deadly 2007 post-election violence, nevertheless the cases were subsequent closed amid allegations of observer intimidation.
The August election was serene inside a country accompanied by a history of political violence. Chaos erupted only inside the final minutes when the electoral percentage publicly split with every one other accompanied by prominent Odinga supporters tried to physically place an extremity to the declaration of Ruto while the winner.
Ruto's military operation had portrayed him while a "hustler" accompanied by a humble background of going barefoot with every one other accompanied by selling chickens by the roadside, a counterpoint to the political dynasties represented by Kenyatta with every one other accompanied by Odinga. His presidential banner features a wheelbarrow, the symbol of his campaign.
But Ruto received strong political mentoring while a young male from former President Daniel arap Moi, who oversaw a one-party condition for years earlier to Kenyans successfully pushed for multiparty elections.
Ruto now speaks of democracy with every one other accompanied by has vowed there will exist no indeed retaliation opposed to dissenting voices.
The losing candidate, the 77-year-old Odinga, is setting himself up to exist a prominent one. In a statement on Monday, he said he would skip the inauguration with every one other accompanied by subsequent will "announce following steps while we seek to deepen with every one other accompanied by build strong our democracy."
Though Odinga too asserted that "the consequence of the election remains indeterminate," a spokesperson told The Associated Press it was "highly unlikely" he would seek to proclaim himself the "people's president" while he did following losing the 2017 election.
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Moses Ndungu contributed to this report.
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