Ruto Praises Tanzanian Poll Win, But Says Such a Result “Cannot Happen” in Kenya
NAIROBI – Kenyan President William Ruto has offered a nuanced take on a recent regional election, defending his decision to congratulate Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on her landslide re-election while simultaneously asserting that such an overwhelming victory would be impossible in his own country.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ruto addressed his congratulatory message to President Hassan, whose win was officially declared with 98% of the vote by Tanzania’s electoral commission.
“Democracy is not always tidy or easy,” Ruto stated, emphasizing the importance of engaging with alternative viewpoints without violence. However, he drew a clear distinction with Kenya’s political landscape, noting that a result as one-sided as Hassan’s “cannot happen” there.
The Tanzanian election has been a source of significant controversy. While the electoral commission announced the landslide victory for President Hassan, the main opposition party, Chadema, has rejected the outcome, labeling the election a “sham.”
Chadema has further alleged that at least 800 people were killed in post-election protests, painting a starkly different picture from the official narrative of a peaceful and conclusive poll.
President Ruto’s comments highlight the delicate balance regional leaders must strike between diplomatic protocol and the principles of competitive democracy. By congratulating a fellow head of state while implicitly questioning the electoral process that led to her victory, Ruto acknowledges the varying standards and challenges of democracy across East Africa.
His remarks underscore his belief in a more contentious and, in his view, more legitimate political process, where listening to opposing views is a fundamental, if messy, component of governance.
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