President Ruto promises to strengthen ties with India after PM Modi’s re-election
By Joel Sang, June 5, 2024
President William Ruto has congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his re-election and promised closer ties between Kenya and India.
Modi was re-elected following a six-week-long election in the world’s largest democracy, and Ruto is one of the leaders to extend his congratulations after the ruling party’s mandate was confirmed by the electorate and the electoral commission.
“I extend my congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his historic re-election in the recently concluded elections.
“I also wish to congratulate the people of India for once again affirming to the world the vibrancy and maturity of their democracy. This is another testament to the strength of the world’s largest democracy,” President Ruto, who is in South Korea for a continental summit and other bilateral engagements, said in a statement on X.
Ruto is confident that Modi will accelerate his country’s development and, in the process, strengthen ties with Kenya.
“As you move forward, Modi, I am confident that your commitment to a better India will accelerate growth and development and enhance the unity and prosperity of the nation.
“As your partner and friend, Kenya looks forward to further strengthening our bilateral relations and working together to galvanize the search for cooperative solutions to the most formidable challenges that threaten the stability of our world and its sustainability, including conflicts, the climate crisis, and the debt burden,” Ruto added.
Modi’s poll setback
Meanwhile, the Indian PM is expected to hold talks with other parties to form a government after securing a weakened mandate in the polls. The performance by Modi’s Bharatiya Janata party means the Premier suffered a political setback for the first time in the ten years he has been in power.
The BJP lost its majority for the first time since 2014; it won 240 seats in India’s 543-seat lower house, although it will remain the largest party. India Bloc performed better, as it claimed 234 seats.
Modi, before the elections, was confident that his party would secure as many seats as 400, but given that lofty target, his performance is seen as dismal. The setback extended even to the BJP’s traditional zones, including Uttar Pradesh in the north, India’s most populous state.