August 13, 2017 (JUBA) - South Sudan President Salva Kiir has sent a congratulatory message welcoming the re-election of the incumbent Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, saying the victory was a testament of trust the coalition government has earned from the Kenyan people.

“Under your leadership, Kenya has remained key regional economic, peace and security partner. The people of South Sudan are particularly grateful for your contribution to restoring peace in our nation”, said president Kiir in a congratulatory message dated August 12, 2017, to President Kenyatta.

Kiir assured his commitment to continue to extend collaboration and deepen historic relations for mutual benefits of the citizens of the two countries.

“Your victory is a testament of the trust that the Jubilee coalition has earned from the people of Kenya and their appreciation of the efforts made toward the development of your country during the last five years,” the congratulatory message read.

On Friday, Kenya’s electoral commission announced that President Uhuru Kenyatta had won the election by 1.4 million votes. Also, international observers said the vote on was fairly fair, as the local observers supported the results.

But Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga contested the results and called for a strike to protest it. He further accused the ruling party and security forces of "spilling the blood of innocent people".

In a related development, Kofi Annan Former U.N. Secretary General, who Annan mediated during a post-election crisis a decade ago, called on Kenyan political leaders to be "careful with their rhetoric and actions" and urged opposition leader Raila Odinga to pursue any complaints about the vote in court.

Odinga has rejected the results, claiming massive fraud, and said he will not go to court to challenge them.

Press reports say the death toll from the electoral violence reached to at least 24 people

(ST)