President William Ruto has congratulated Brazil’s president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his victory on the just concluded election.
“Congratulations to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on your election victory. Kenya looks forward to closer relations with Brazil for the prosperity of our citizens,” he said.
Luiz Inácio Lula was Brazil’s former president from 2003 to 2010.
The 77-year-old president-elect narrowly won a divisive runoff election beating rival and incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.
Electoral officials declared the election for Lula, who had 50.9 percent of the vote to 49.1 percent for Bolsonaro with more than 99.9 percent of polling stations reporting, in the closest race since Brazil returned to democracy after its 1964-1985 dictatorship.
US President Joe Biden also sent his congratulatory message.
“I send my congratulations to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections. I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead,” he said.
