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| President Elect of the republic of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta with his election certificate. |
My fellow Kenyans, thank you.
Thank you for all your patience and
your support along the way
Asanteni Sana.
I thank God for sustaining us and
for bringing us this far.
I thank all those who have remained
vigilant in prayer for our nation during this time.
I want to thank the people of the
republic of Kenya who have shown patience over the last few days as we all
awaited the outcome of this election.
I thank the thousands of officials
who worked with the IEBC to make this, the most free and most fair general
election in our nation's history.
Despite the challenges that you
faced, you managed to keep the trust of Kenyans and to do your job
professionally.
While we look forward to a day when
electoral results are relayed in real-time to curb anxiety, we acknowledge that
every process can be refined and I pledge to give you my support as you seek
more efficient ways to conduct future elections.
I would also like to acknowledge and
thank the police and all security agencies for their diligence and commitment
to ensuring security.
I would especially like to
acknowledge the police officers who lost their lives on the eve of the
elections. They made the ultimate sacrifice, laying down their lives,in the
name of democracy.
To their families, I offer my
sincere condolences for your loss and I assure you that I, and the people of
Kenya are standing with you in prayer.
The incidents that took the lives of
our officers are a reminder that security remains one of the biggest challenges
in our nation. It is unacceptable to see such violent and unnecessary loss of
life. As we move forward, I pledge to meet all threats to our national security
with the full force of Kenya's resources and with utmost urgency.
To the Kenyan media - you have shown
remarkable responsibility as this country’s fourth estate. You have shown
sensitivity in the dissemination of news and impartiality in your treatment of
the results. You have no doubt helped to keep the country calm.
We are grateful for this, and we
will continue to consider you our true partners as we embark on our journey.
To the presidential candidates – I
salute you all.
You have contributed to ensuring a
robust democratic process.
I in particular want to single out
my brother, Raila Odinga, for his spirited campaign.
I know that all the candidates have
made tremendous personal sacrifices for the progress of our country and today,
I welcome them to join us in moving our nation forward.
My fellow Kenyans today, we
celebrate the triumph of democracy; the triumph of peace; the triumph of
nationhood.
Despite the misgivings of many in
the world- we demonstrated a level of political maturity that surpassed
expectations.
We dutifully turned out; we voted in
peace; we upheld order and respect for the rule of law and we maintained the
fabric of our society.
That is the real victory today. A
victory for our nation. A victory that demonstrates to all that Kenya has
finally come of age. That this, indeed, is Kenya’s moment.
I am honored and humbled that in a
free and fair election- you, the people of Kenya, have placed your trust in me-
to lead our nation as your next President.
I am here because of you.
I am here because of the unyielding
support of millions of Kenyans, from all walks of life, from every corner of
our nation, who sacrificed their time, energy and resources to make this
campaign a success.
Thousands of you volunteered through
Team Uhuru. Hundreds of you mobilized through grassroots organizations.
Hundreds of you campaigned through your university associations and millions of
Kenyans across the nation engaged us through our various online platforms.
Throughout this process you, the
people, have remained unwavering in your belief not only in me - but in the
possibility of a stronger, more prosperous Kenya.
A Kenya that has room for all our
hopes and aspirations.
Last but not least, I am here because
of my family:
My wife, Margaret; our children and
all the members of my family.
However, this is has never been
about me, this has been about you- about the people of Kenya. You have put your
faith not in one man, but in a team.
In our Deputy President – Elect: Hon
William Ruto. A man with a proven track record, who has demonstrated to all of
us, his ability to both speak and act with un-matched zeal and energy.
You put your trust in my sister,
Charity Ngilu and my brother, Najib Balala both of whom have remained committed
to serving the people and putting our nation first.
You put your trust in TNA, URP and
the wider Jubilee family.
And because you gave us this trust,
I am proud to say that the majority of women who were elected to parliament
come from the Jubilee Coalition – a fact that demonstrates this teams
commitment to supporting women and to supporting the full implementation of all
the provisions within our constitution.
I want to say to all the Jubilee
aspirants- those who won, and especially, those who did not – you have done
your parties, and this coalition- proud.Your dedication, to the ideals that the
Jubilee Coalition represents has been an inspiration to me. We came together as
a team, and we will continue to work together as a team- for the good of all
the people of Kenya.
However , today is about more than
one Coalition or Party.
It is about all Kenyans: those of
you who voted Jubilee and those who did not.
My fellow Kenyans, My pledge to you
is that as your President, I will work on behalf of all citizens regardless of
political affiliation.
I will honor the will of Kenyans and
ensure that my Government protects their rights and acts without fear or favor;
in the interests of our nation.
To all those who won various seats
–regardless of what party or coalition you may belong to - let us remember that
we are , first and foremost, Kenyans, and that the people have bestowed upon us
the responsibility to work for them.
I extend a hand of friendship and
cooperation to you so that together, we can truly serve the Kenyan people.
In the nearly 5 decades since
independence, we have made great strides as a nation.
Kenya has experienced huge success
but there have also been enduring problems.
In the last 10 years, under the
Presidency of Mwai Kibaki we have begun to overcome many of our national
challenges.
We are indebted to his leadership
and grateful for the services he has rendered to our country.
As I assume office, my task, and the
task before us all is to secure the gains we have made while focusing on
solving the challenges that remain.
My fellow Kenyans, the elections are
now over.
Today, in itself, is not an end ; it
is a beginning and there is much work to be done.
That work begins with all of us
taking personal responsibility for the future of our country- the inheritance
of our children.
For those who are celebrating let us
be modest in victory. To those who voted for any of my opponents - let us keep
in mind the broader victory of Kenya, and continue to uphold peace. Let us
remember that while, in a democracy, some contestants must, inevitably, lose -
the citizens of a country never do. In this election, every vote mattered and
from this moment, every voice that contributes to the national dialogue- will
be heard.
Fellow Kenyans, our duty now is to
return to our lives. To return to our jobs, our businesses; our farms – and
continue making the daily decisions that will transform Kenya.
I promise to do my part, but I need
every Kenyan to play their part as well.
To our brothers and sisters in the
region and in Africa as a whole we appreciate your support and encouragement
before, during and after the elections. This is the true spirit of Africa. We
look forward to playing our rightful role in the region and in the continent.
The African star is shining brightly and the destiny of Africa is in our hands.
To the nations of the world I give
you my assurances that I and my team understand that Kenya is part of the
community of nations and while as leaders we are, first and foremost, servants
of the Kenyan people, we recognize and accept our international obligations and
we will continue to co-operate with all nations and international institutions–
in line with those obligations.
However we also expect that the international
community will respect our sovereignty and the democratic will of the people of
Kenya.
Indeed it is the desire of the
people of Kenya to be a nation that is at peace with itself, at peace with her
neighbors, at peace with our continent and at peace with the world at large.
We will pursue this ideal -
upholding the values enshrined in our constitution and continuing in the spirit
embodied in the words of our national anthem
Oh God of all creation
Bless this our land and nation
Justice be our shield and defender
May we dwell in unity, peace and
liberty.
Plenty be found within our borders.
Thank you,
God bless you And God bless the
Republic of Kenya.
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