Kenyan president finally speaks to president-elect

Kenya’s newly elected president says he has had a phone conversation with outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta about the transition.

William Ruto said they spoke about the just-concluded election and the democratic transition.

Mr Kenyatta, who backed Mr Ruto’s rival Raila Odinga for the presidency, had not spoken to the newly elected president since he was declared the winner of the 9 August general election.

In a media briefing on Monday after the Supreme Court confirmed him as the winner, the president-elect said that they had not spoken “for months”.

On the same day, President Kenyatta sent out a statement giving an assurance there would be a smooth transition, without mentioning Mr Ruto or congratulating him for the win.

Some Kenyans online have been criticising Mr Kenyatta for being “petty” about the matter.

One Twitter user said: “Uhuru Kenyatta failed to mention his successor William Ruto in his seven-minute clip address from State House. He is being petty and childish.”

“Stop being petty and jealous Mr President. Be a gentleman, congratulate [Mr Ruto] and move on,” another user said.

Mr Ruto will be sworn in as president next Tuesday.

This article originally appeared in BBC News

Photo: Reuters/ Alamy