President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulates incoming Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema

President-elect Hakainde Hichilema and outgoing President Edgar Lungu.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has congratulated Zambia’s President-elect Hakainde Hichilema following his election victory in the just concluded Presidential elections.

President Kenyatta said the election of President-elect Hichilema in a hotly contested presidential poll demonstrated the strong confidence and trust the people of Zambia have in his leadership.

“Please accept my warm congratulations on your victory and my best wishes for your success as you take up the responsibilities and duties of your new high office as the incoming President of Zambia.

“Excellency, as you embark upon your new responsibilities, I wish to assure you and the people of Zambia of the continued friendship of the Government and people of Kenya,” President Kenyatta said in his congratulatory message to President-elect Hichilema.

President-elect Hichilema was declared the winner by Zambia’s Electoral Commission Chairman Justice Esau Chulu on Monday after garnering 2,810,757 votes against incumbent President Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s 1,814,201 of the votes counted in 155 out of the country’s 156 constituencies.

President Kenyatta said he looked forward to working closely with President-elect Hichilema to enhance bilateral cooperation between Kenya and Zambia for the benefit of the people of the two countries, as well as to advance the African agenda of a stable, peaceful and progressive continent.

At the same time, President Kenyatta bade farewell to outgoing President Lungu.

In his message to Mr Lungu, the President thanked the outgoing President for the role he played in forging closer ties between Kenya and Zambia during his tenure in office.