United Nations Secretary General António Guterres and former UN chief Koffi Annan have advised aggrieved National Super Alliance coalition to seek legal redress over their concerns on the presidential election outcome.
In separate statements, the two commended Kenyans for participating in a peaceful elections on August 8th and NASA principals to urge their supporters to refrain from post-poll violence.
“The Secretary-General calls on the political leaders to send clear messages to their supporters urging them to refrain from violence,” Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement on the UN website.
The UN boss urged for dialogue between the winners and the losers to reduce tensions that has led to violent protests.
Guterress plea comes a day after the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said that up to 24 people had been killed in confrontations between the police and protesting opposition supporters. The supporters of NASA chief Raila Odinga, who rejected President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election, took to the streets on Friday night to protest the election outcome.
“The United Nations, in close collaboration with the African Union and other multilateral and bilateral partners, is fully engaged with Kenya’s political leadership and relevant stakeholders to facilitate the successful conclusion of the electoral process,” Guterres said.
Former UN boss Kofi Annan, who was the chief mediator during Kenya’s 2007/2008 post election deblacle congratulated President Kenyatta on his re-election and commended him for reaching out to Raila for the sake of peace. Annan urged Raila and his team to use the relevant legal channels to address his concerns over the election results.
“I commend the leader of the Opposition, Raila Odinga for the peaceful electoral campaign that he led. He has been a courageous defender of democracy. “So I urge him now to pursue his concerns over the electoral outcome through the due process of law and to put the interest of the nation first, as he has patriotically done on past occasions,” Annan said.
“Peace, stability and prosperity depend on the political leaders of Kenya. They should be careful with their rhetoric and actions in this tense atmosphere and I urge them to act responsibly,” Annan said.
Tyranny of numbers, there…
Tyranny of numbers, there were more people who voted for President Kenyatta, than they did for Raila,and although Raila was so determined he was going to win, this did not happen, my question is, what is the problem with Raila?.Is the couart going to take the presidency from Uhuru and give to Raila to appease him?.If our leaders can,t gracefully accept defeat and let their constituents know its ok to lose, then they have no business seeking to be elected. Am sure in every situation we all would like to have what we want and when we want it, but sometimes its beyond our control.