allAfrica.com: Kenya: President's Acceptance Speech (Page 1 of 2)

Acceptance speech by His Excellency Hon. Mwai Kibaki, C.G.H., M.P., President And Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kenya following his re-election to server a second term, State House Nairobi, 30th December, 2007.

Fellow Kenyans,

Following the announcement of the presidential election results by the Electoral Commission of Kenya, I stand before you humbled and grateful for the opportunity you have given me to serve you again as your President for a second five-year term.

I thank all Kenyans who voted in large numbers in these elections. I thank all of you for the trust you have bestowed upon me in renewing my mandate, which I accept with sincere gratitude and humility. I am confident that together, we will succeed in changing our country into a better home for all Kenyans.

The elections were very closely contested. I thank those of our brothers and sisters who voted for me and other presidential candidates for expressing their democratic right and choice. As a democrat, I acknowledge and respect the right of every Kenyan to choose candidates of their choice.

With the elections behind us now, I assure them that as President of Kenya, I will serve everyone equally, irrespective of the person they may have voted for.

I urge all of us to set aside the passions that were excited by the election process, and work together as one people with the single purpose of building a strong, united, prosperous and equitable country.

Fellow Kenyans,

I want to commend my opponents, specifically Honorable Kalonzo Musyoka and Honorable Raila Odinga. They campaigned strongly, and garnered support from across the country. I call on all the political leaders to set aside their differences. Let us all work together to build consensus on issues of national importance including a new Constitution, and any matter that benefits and improves the welfare of our people.

Fellow Kenyans,

We have done our nation proud, and set a good example for the rest of the continent, through the conduct of free and fair elections.

The freedom of choice, the openness and integrity of the electoral process, and the peaceful manner in which we conducted ourselves as people has raised Kenya’s democratic profile throughout the world.

I am particularly pleased that millions of Kenyans in the largest voter turnout seen in our country chose to exercise their democratic right to elect a new team of political leaders. Most notable, is the fact that so many young people have participated in the democratic process for the first time, either as candidates or as voters. These are good developments that testify to the strength of our nation’s democratic culture.

Indeed, I am proud to note that in holding free and fair elections in our country both in the just concluded general elections, and in the referendum two years ago, we have demonstrated to the world that we are politically mature and capable of nurturing and upholding democracy.

I thank the Electoral Commission of Kenya, our security agents, observers and all other stakeholders, for remaining committed to the conduct of honest, orderly and credible elections that have enabled the true verdict of the people to prevail. I call upon all candidates and Kenyans in general to accept the verdict of the people.

With the general election now behind us, it is now the time for healing and reconciliation among all Kenyans. We need to heal the differences that have been created among us, between different communities, regions, and religions.

I urge all of us to set aside the divisive views and opinions we held during the campaign period, and instead embrace one another as brothers and sisters. After all, we belong to one family called Kenya.

On my part as your President, I will personally lead our country in promoting unity, tolerance, peace and harmony among all Kenyans. I appeal to all political and religious leaders to do the same.

As I pledged to Kenyans during the campaigns, I will shortly form a clean hands Government that represents the face of Kenya. The new PNU Government will incorporate the affiliate parties as well as other friendly parties. I also pledge to ensure that our young people and women are fully represented in all public appointments.

I wish to announce that we will hold the presidential inauguration ceremony on 7th of January 2008. After these ceremonies, we will start to deliver on the promises and pledges we made in our manifesto so as to build a society with a strong economy, equitable development, and social justice.

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