Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Kenyan citizens to embrace peace and dialogue after the August 8 presidential election.
In a statement issued Thursday, Obasanjo congratulated Kenyans for the relative peace that had attended the campaign and preparation for the elections.
“The world is waiting for the final declaration of the election and the reactions,” Obasanjo said
“Allegations of hacking into the electoral system have been made. This, of course, as a technical issue must be thoroughly investigated by a non-partisan Committee of experts, no matter what the final declaration of the election result is.
“The world is also waiting anxiously to see that peace continues to prevail after the formal declaration of the election result.”
Protests ensued in Nairobi after Kenya’s main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, alleged “massive fraud” after results showed President Uhuru Kenyatta in a clear lead.
TheNewsGuru.com reports that at least five people have been reportedly killed in the resulting violence, reminiscent of the 2007 post-presidential election incidents which saw Mr Kenyatta dragged before the International Criminal Court.
Obasanjo said it would not be in anybody’s interest in Kenya to have to resort to the ICC again.
“Those of us who are friends of Kenya and who believe that peaceful election in Kenya, like in any other African country, is necessary to stabilise democracy in Africa and lay the foundation for strong economic development, unity and progress are also anxious,” he said.
“We appeal for peace, non-violence and dialogue as the eyes of the world is on Kenya and we can’t do better than to show that electorally, Kenya has come of age.