Uhuru gets his first congratulatory message before IEBC declares him winner
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday received his first congratulatory message even before declared the winner of the presidential election by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)
The message was posted on Twitter by Burundi President Pierre Nkurunzinza who congratulated President Kenyatta for his “re-election”.
The 54-year-old Head of State added that President Kenyatta’s “re-election” is crucial in strengthening relations between Kenya and Burundi.
On behalf of all Burundians, I congratulate President elect @UKenyatta and the people of Kenya. Looking forward to strengthen our relations.
— Pierre Nkurunziza (@pnkurunziza) August 10, 2017
This declaration means the Burundi President is the first Head of State to formally congratulate President Kenyatta, even though it comes at a time the IEBC is yet to declare the winner of Kenya’s election and hand him a certificate.
APPLAUDED
On Thursday, IEBC CEO Ezra Chiloba indicated the commission had received less than half of the declaration form 34B from the constituency level, and needed another 24 hours to complete the verification process of the results that had earlier been sent by text.
What’s more, even though the Kenyan polls have been widely applauded by the international observers, Nasa presidential candidate Raila Odinga has disputed the process, claiming it was rigged.
President Kenyatta is a long term close friend of Nkurunzinza who won himself a controversial third term in office in 2012, and also survived a coup attempt by senior military chiefs at the time.
