Baku-APA. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Saturday congratulated the Kenyan people on the peaceful presidential polls, saying Kenyans are depending on "wise and responsible" leadership, APA reports.
"The Secretary-General has noted the results of Kenya's presidential election announced today by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)," said a statement issued here by Ban's spokesperson.
Kenya's electoral body on Saturday declared Uhuru Kenyatta as the President of the Republic of Kenya after he gained 6.17 million votes to beat his closest challenger Raila Odinga in the historic elections held on March 4, the very first to be organized under Kenya's 2010 Constitution.
Ban congratulated the people of Kenya for their "impressive determination to participate peacefully in the elections, and for the patience they have demonstrated while awaiting the results," the statement said.
Spoken by phone on Friday with Kenyatta and Odinga, the UN chief reiterated his call for both leaders to "send clear messages of calm to their supporters" and reminded them of the commitments they have made throughout this process to "channel any electoral grievances through the established legal avenues," according to the statement.
Ban also welcomed the measured statements both have made since the announcement of results.
"Kenyans are depending at this time on wise and responsible leadership," he said.
The March 4 polls were the very first to be held since the 2007/ 2008 post election violence, when, within a 7-week period following the polls, and as a direct consequence of the contested results, thousands of civilians became victims of serious crimes, including killings, sexual and gender based violence, forced internal displacements and destruction of properties.
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