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Kenya's Ruto faces a "divided country"

Kenyan president-elect William Ruto   -  
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TONY KARUMBA/AFP or licensors

Kenya

Kenya's president-elect William Ruto vowed to unite the country after the Supreme Court confirmed his victory on Monday.

Speaking after the verdict, Ruto vowed to rule for all Kenyans.

"We are only competitors, not enemies, we vied to unite and strengthen Kenya, not to divide and weaken it. I therefore consider all of my competitors to be my worthy compatriots. Kenyans are united for the quest of a better society" said the president-elect. 

But despite the optimism, Ruto inherits a divided country and an economy in tatters.

According to professor Herman Manyora, a political analyst and lecturer at the Nairobi University, Ruto will be leading a "divided country".

"Challenges that Ruto will face first and foremost is dealing with a divided country split in the middle with people who, those seeming quiet and having given up, inside they are boiling, you need to heal that and you need to bring the country back together that is the biggest challenge. The other challenge is inheriting a country that is broke, the economy is in tatters against this background you must look at many, many promises he made to the people, especially hustlers, small man in the street and yet there is no money. A lot of these promises he made you must have the money and the country has no money", said the political analyst. 

Ruto's main challenger, 77-year-old Raila Odinga has tried to run for president five  times and lost.

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