WATCH: Uhuru Kenyatta snubs President-elect William Ruto in State address
President Uhuru Kenyatta has failed to mention or congratulate President-elect William Ruto in his first state address since the August 9, 2022 polls.
The retiring President has however vowed to oversee a smooth handover of power to Ruto whom he did not mention by name in the seven-minute address.
The Head of State made the commitment in a video address shared on the official State House social media pages.
The address came hours after the Supreme Court upheld Ruto’s victory achieved in the August 9, 2022 polls.
“I made a pledge to uphold the rule of law and decisions made by the judiciary,” said President Kenyatta.
“I want to thank every single individual Kenyan for bringing us this far. I want to wish well all who have won as they guide our country into the future. I thank you all for the opportunity to serve and I say may God bless you all and May God bless this great Republic of Kenya.”
President Kenyatta also appeared to question the Supreme Court ruling which validated Ruto’s win.
Ruto was declared the winner of the August 9, 2022 polls by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commision (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati. Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga was second, George Wajackoyah came third, and Wahiga Mwaure finished fourth in the four-man race.
President Kenyatta also thanked Kenyans for offering him an opportunity to serve them as Head of State and Commander in Chief of the armed forces for the past decade.
President-elect Ruto had in an address earlier in the day claimed he had not talked to President Kenyatta ‘in months’.
Ruto accused Kenyatta’s administration of intimidating and jailing his supporters during the electioneering period but vowed not to revenge.