President-elect should now unite the country and serve all Kenyans

The Supreme Court yesterday declared UDA leader William Ruto as the winner of the 2022 presidential election, following a petition that had challenged the announcement by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chair Wafula Chebukati.

The election was hotly contested; the passions were high, with both sides believing they won. The court put that to rest with its decision yesterday. Rightly put by the Deputy Chief Justice more than six million Kenyans who voted for Raila Odinga have nothing to celebrate about. The contest was won by a difference of 233,211 votes; a paltry one per cent of the registered voters.

This inundates us to call for magnanimity from the winners and humility from the losers. Unity and progress are of utmost importance. The electoral process, as expected, has been fractionate.

The country is divided down the middle.

It is the time to celebrate for the winners but not to chest thump. It is expected that the winners will revel in their victory but not at the expense of the losers' dignity. The ties that bind us are stronger than the periodic elections fever.

The challenges that we face as a country cut across both divides; coming together will hasten the solutions to high cost of living, insecurity, lack of employment, among other issues bedeviling us.

The presidency is a symbol of national unity and we call upon the president-elect to lead from the front in uniting the country. Whereas the Constitution gives absolute privileges and power to the winner, the losers cannot be left behind.

Long gone are the days when a few determined the path the country takes. Inclusivity is part of development. It is encouraging that the president-elect has acknowledged the importance of uniting the country in his first address after his win was upheld.

His pledge to make the country one for everyone is commendable. It is also good that the new leadership says it will not hold grudges against members of the previous government.

The unity call is not just to the winners. We ask supporters of the candidates that lost to rise from the misery of the loss and embrace the new leadership. In whatever capacity let us all work towards a united country for in Alexander the Great's words, "upon the conduct of each lies the fate of all".

The success of project Kenya lies in the united effort of all. The task ahead is enormous. The earlier we move on from the current passions the better for the nation.

An easier route to unity will be to address the issues that Kenyans face. Once healthcare is affordable and of good quality; for as long as families can have a roof over their heads and a meal on the table there will be little reason to feel left out of government.