Kenyatta to work with rivals, global community

KENYA: Uhuru Kenyatta narrowly won Kenya's Presidential election Saturday, urging calm and pledging to work with rivals and cooperate with the international community. Kenyatta, son of Kenya's founding president and one of Africa's richest men who is also facing an international crimes against humanity trial, scraped by with 50.07 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff against his closest rival Raila Odinga.

However Odinga, the outgoing Prime Minister, who won 43.31 percent of the vote said he would contest the results in court, raising tensions following the key poll. But shortly afterwards Odinga -- in his third failed attempt at the top job -- said his party would challenge the result at the Supreme Court, adding he had "faith in the judiciary and the ruling will be respected." Political loyalties in Kenya are largely based along ethnic lines, and while Kenyatta's majority Kikuyu people and the new found Kalenjin allies of his running mate William Ruto partied, the Luo of Odinga mourned their loss.

But Kenyatta offered "my older brother" Odinga an olive branch, telling thousands of his party loyalists he wanted to work with him "in moving our nation forward." The new president-elect also called on his celebrating supporters not to laud it over those they have defeated, urging them in being "modest in our victory." -- Odinga alleges fraud but urges peace -- Kenyatta's 50.07 percent of the vote, according to the election commission figures, narrowly broke the 50-percent threshold needed to avoid a second round poll by around 8,400 votes.

The counting process for Monday's election was marred by technical problems and complaints from both sides.

Odinga's camp alleged that results had been "doctored", while Kenyatta's party raised concerns over the inclusion of spoiled ballots in the overall total. The rigging claims have been dismissed by Kenya's electoral commission.

AFP