Following the Supreme Court's confirmation of William Ruto's election as the new president of the Republic of Kenya, Kenyans have once again demonstrated a maturity and ability to discern the political arena from their needs and hopes for a better life, abandoning the street protests and frustrations that have led to even ethnically motivated violence in the past, which paralysed the nation on several occasions.

To put it simply, even yesterday after Ruto's final proclamation, supporters of the opposing faction, the one led by the eternally defeated Raila Odinga, now 77 years old and probably in his last attempt to become Kenya's leader, did not dangerously take to the streets, risking violent clashes mainly with the police, if not with their political opponents in the 'in-between' areas between Lake Victoria and the Rift Valley and in the slums of Nairobi.

Hence, as the candidates themselves and the leading members of their coalitions had demanded, peace, calm and resignation to the decisions of the electorate and in the second instance of the judiciary, which rejected the legitimately filed appeals, was preferred.
The losers themselves, Odinga and his deputy Martha Karua, as well as lawyer and governor James Orengo, while speaking of an unacceptable decision, reiterated that they would accept the ruling and asked their people to remain calm.
Thus in his first official speech as president, Kenyatta's former deputy William Ruto metaphorically shook hands with the opposition leader, calling on him to work together to take the country 'to the next level'. In the evening also came the speech of Uhuru Kenyatta, the outgoing president who had decided to support former rival Odinga rather than his deputy Ruto.

While wondering how the Supreme Court could have ignored all the petitions submitted by Odinga and his allies, he accepted the decision and promised a 'smooth transition' with the new head of state, who will take office on 13 September. A Kenya increasingly mature and aware of what 'democracy' means: a weapon nominally in the hands of the people, but in reality a power of the few that can hopefully be channelled through parliament and monitored by an independent and honest judiciary. And now for the next five years, it is hoped that we will be able to talk about improved living conditions, economic growth and the reduction of social inequalities. All campaign promises from Ruto that he will have to put into practice. These are terribly difficult times, for the world and for East Africa in particular, between the scourge of drought and the consequent food emergency, with an abysmal public debt that will have to be contained.
Best wishes Kenya, but congratulations on your reaction to this month of electoral and legal skirmishes, power struggles and legal entanglements.