South Africa calls for Kenyan parties to resolve election disputes legally

The South African government on Saturday urged all Kenyan parties to resolve their disputes legally following the General Election in the east African state.

"The South African government is confident that any of the parties that might have a dispute with the outcome of the General Election will adhere to the Electoral Code of Conduct and their undertaking to follow the required legal avenues that have been put in place for managing such disputes," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRC) said in a statement.

Kenya's Jubilee alliance's Uhuru Kenyatta won the elections held on March 4.

According to the DIRC, the elections were conducted in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner that accorded the people of Kenya the opportunity to express themselves freely at the polls.

South Africa participated in the observation of the elections under the auspices of the African Union Election Observer Mission and the Commonwealth Observer Mission.

South Africa "wishes to commend the people of Kenya and the other candidates for the patience and commitment they demonstrated on Election Day, as well as during the period leading up to the final announcement of the outcome of the elections by the IEBC (the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission), to uphold peace and never again allow their country to be wracked by violence," DIRC said.

Also on Saturday, South African President Jacob Zuma congratulated Mr Kenyatta, expressing his hope to work together with the Kenyan government in strengthening bilateral relations.

Zuma said bilateral ties between the two countries "have tangible benefits for our people and in which South Africa and Kenya can learn from one another as we seek to contribute positively to our regional bodies and our continent".

"What the people of Kenya have done is what democracy is all about," Zuma said.