Ruto congratulates Samia after winning TZ elections

President William Ruto on Monday congratulated Samia Suluhu Hassan for winning the recently concluded elections in Tanzania.

Samia, who was declared the winner of the election after scooping over 97 per cent of the votes on October 29, was sworn in for another five-year-term during a swearing-in ceremony that was attended by the presidents of Somalia, Zambia, Mozambique, and Burundi.

Kenya was represented by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki at the inauguration, which was held at the military parade grounds in the capital Dodoma.

In his statement, Ruto highlighted the deep ties shared between Kenya and Tanzania.

“Kenya and Tanzania share deep historical ties and common aspirations for the prosperity and stability of our peoples, anchored in our shared history and our joint membership in the East African Community (EAC)”. He said

Ruto urged Tanzanians to uphold peace and the rule of law, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and tolerance among political actors.

"I call upon the patriotic people of Tanzania to uphold peace and the rule of law, and I encourage all political actors and stakeholders to embrace dialogue and tolerance as they seek to resolve any issues at hand in order to safeguard democracy and stability," he noted.

He added, “Kenya stands ready to continue engaging constructively in the pursuit of our shared vision for a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated East Africa”.

In her victory speech on Saturday, Samia said the poll was “free and democratic” and described the protesters as “unpatriotic”.

Samia assumed Tanzania's Presidency on March 19, 2021, following the death of President John Magufuli, whom she had deputised since 2015.

The swearing in came in the wake of violent protests reported in the country as civilians took to the streets to demand the integrity of the vote.