US calls for peace as Kenya waits for results
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken waves as he boards his airplane at N'Djili International Airport in Kinshasa, to travel to Rwanda on August 10, 2022. PHOTO | AFP
The US Secretary of State, Mr Antony J. Blinken on Saturday spoke with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss his visit to Africa.
Mr Blinken appreciated President Kenyatta’s continued efforts to advance regional peace and security.
Secretary Blinken also encouraged continued peace and patience as the vote tallying from Kenya’s August 9 election continues. It is now six days since Kenya went to the ballot to choose their fifth president and other leaders.
The complex exercise of verifying and tallying votes is in the sixth day, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman, Wafula Chebukati, accusing political parties of delaying the exercise by haranguing election workers with unnecessary questions.
"We have observed that we are not moving as fast as we should. This exercise needs to be concluded as soon as possible," Chebukati said on Friday.
The slow process has escalated anxiety among Kenyans and the member states of the East African Community (EAC), as it almost heard t tell who will win the election between Azimio la Umoja movement presidential candidate Raila Amolo Odinga and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party presidential flag bearer William Ruto.
Blinken, who started his Africa trip last Sunday, arrived in Rwanda late Wednesday on a two-day visit to calm tensions between Rwanda and its neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo over sparring rebels.
He first landed in South Africa on Sunday, where he kicked off a three-nation African visit as Washington scales up diplomacy to counter Russian influence on the continent.
