Following his swearing-in ceremony, which was held at the Karasani Stadium in Kenya, William Samoei Ruto has been formally proclaimed the President of Kenya.
At a ceremony held on Tuesday in Kasarani’s crowded Moi International Sports Centre, he was sworn in by Chief Judge Martha Koome.
Ruto took an oath of allegiance and another one for carrying out the duties of the office while being applauded by the enthusiastic audience.
As observed in the live broadcast on Tuesday, Ruto also added his signature to the necessary documents.
After the late Daniel Arap Moi, Ruto becomes the fifth president of Independent Kenya and the second ethnic Kalenjin to hold the position upon his inauguration.
The departing president Uhuru Kenyatta congratulated Ruto on his victory in the election on August 9, hours before his inauguration.
Kenyans quoted Uhuru as saying, “As a hallmark of our democracy, therefore, I will, before God and my fellow countrymen, handover the instruments of power to our new president at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani and with that, the fourth administration will come to an end and the tenure of the fifth administration will begin.”
“My family and I join all Kenyans in wishing the very best to our next President Dr. William Samoei Ruto and extending to him our warmest congratulations for receiving the mandate of Kenyans to lead us as our 5th president.”
The Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, was also at the swearing-in ceremony.
Osinbajo’s media aide, Laolu Akande, made this known in a tweet which read, “VP Osinbajo now in Nairobi, Kenya where he is representing Nigeria at the inauguration of Dr. William Ruto as Kenya’s fifth President today.
“On arrival, VP congratulates ‘the people of Kenya on this celebration of democracy,’ and added, ‘God bless the Republic of Kenya’.”
