Cord presidential candidate Raila Odinga flanked by coalition members at
a press conference in Nairobi on March 9, 2013. Mr Odinga said he will
challenge the presidential results in court. Photo/PHOEBE OKALL
NATION MEDIA GROUP
Daily Nation
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The South African government on Saturday urged all Kenyan
parties to resolve their disputes legally following the General Election
in the east African state.
"The South African government is confident that
any of the parties that might have a dispute with the outcome of the
General Election will adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct and their
undertaking to follow the required legal avenues that have been put in
place for managing such disputes," the Department of International
Relations and Cooperation (DIRC) said in a statement.
Kenya's Jubilee alliance's Uhuru Kenyatta won the elections held on March 4.
According to the DIRC, the elections were
conducted in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner that accorded
the people of Kenya the opportunity to express themselves freely at the
polls.
South Africa participated in the observation of
the elections under the auspices of the African Union Election Observer
Mission and the Commonwealth Observer Mission.
South Africa "wishes to commend the people of
Kenya and the other candidates for the patience and commitment they
demonstrated on Election Day, as well as during the period leading up to
the final announcement of the outcome of the elections by the IEBC (the
Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission), to uphold peace and never
again allow their country to be wracked by violence," DIRC said.
Also on Saturday, South African President Jacob
Zuma congratulated Mr Kenyatta, expressing his hope to work together
with the Kenyan government in strengthening bilateral relations.
Zuma said bilateral ties between the two countries
"have tangible benefits for our people and in which South Africa and
Kenya can learn from one another as we seek to contribute positively to
our regional bodies and our continent".
"What the people of Kenya have done is what democracy is all about," Zuma said.