Russia Hails Successful Presidential Election in Kenya – Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia has commended the success of the recent presidential election in Kenya and is ready for cooperation with Nairobi, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday.

"Moscow welcomed the successful holding of elections in Kenya and reaffirms its readiness for further strengthening of traditional relations of friendship and mutually beneficial multidimensional cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kenya," a statement released by the ministry said.

Kenya held its presidential election on Tuesday. On Friday, the country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), declared incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta the winner with 54.27 percent of the votes. His closest rival, Raila Odinga from Kenyan opposition National Super Alliance (NASA), received 44.7 percent of the votes.

NASA questioned the first preliminary results of the election, claiming that the voting system could have been hacked. The IEBC denied allegations. Following official declaration of the winner, media reported that protests erupted in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, with gunfire reported in the capital and in the western city of Kisumu, which is the opposition stronghold.