President William Ruto has congratulated President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, two days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared her the winner of last week’s election.
Ms Suluhu is currently attending her swearing-in ceremony in Dodoma where Dr Ruto is represented by Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki.
Through a statement, President Ruto said that Kenya and Tanzania share historical ties and common aspirations for the prosperity and stability of its citizens.
At the same time, the President, who doubles as the current chairperson of the East African Community (EAC), urged the opposition which has expressed its dissatisfaction in the presidential outcome to consider engaging in talks for the benefit of all Tanzanians and region.
“I call upon the patriotic people of Tanzania to uphold peace and the rule of law, and I encourage all the political actors and stakeholders to embrace dialogue and tolerance as they seek to resolve any issues at hand on order to safeguard democracy and stability,” President Ruto said.
President Samia was announced as the winner by the independent electoral body following her disputed win in the October 29 election, where she garnered 31 million votes, representing 97.6 percent of the total votes. Since election day, various parts of the country have been rocked by violent protests, with a number of people reported killed.
While the opposition has dismissed the presidential results, human rights groups in Tanzania and Kenya have expressed concern over the deaths and use of excessive force by the Tanzanian police during the election.
They claimed that hundreds of people who were protesting were killed. At the same time, President Ruto has said that Kenya is ready to lead the people of Tanzania in dialogue.
President Suluhu becomes the first-ever female President to take the oath of office in Tanzania, after stepping in as the President in the last administration following the death of former President John Magufuli.
At the same time, activists in Kenya have criticised the East African Community (EAC) for remaining silent on the killing of demonstrators in Tanzania.
The People’s Liberation Party (PLP) leader Martha Karua, and Professor Kivutha Kibwana asked President Ruto to address the election malpractices witnessed in Tanzania, where the main opposition leaders were excluded from the election.
“It looks like it no longer a jumuiya to serve the people, but a jumuiya to retain those in power by whatever means. How do you explain the silence of William Ruto, who is the Jumuiya chairperson? What about the silken of other neighbours. Silence in certain situation is complicit,” Ms Karua said.
Despite the electoral commission announcing Mama Suluhu Hassan on Saturday as the winner with 98 percent of the total votes, only the President of Somalia has recognised and congratulated her on her victory.
President Samia was declared the winner of the disputed presidential election, a result which has continued to attract criticism and concern not only from opposition leaders in Tanzania, but also worldwide.
While sharing disturbing videos and images of lifeless bodies claimed to have been recorded by human rights groups in Tanzania, the Kenyan activists called for immediate investigation of the killings and accountability from the authorities.
“We are disturbed by reports of neighbouring governments actively aiding and abetting the violence with which the Tanzanian state is attempting to curtail the youthful protesters. That mercenaries can apparently be borrowed across borders means we have established new modes of transnational authoritarian collaboration, no longer confining authoritarianism within our national boundaries,” Prof Kibwana said.
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