ICC charges

Prior to the general elections, top officials from Western governments warned that Kenya would face "consequences" if Kenyatta and Ruto were elected to lead the country. They also said that the country's "reputation" will be tarnished if the suspected perpetrators of crimes against humanity were to take office.

But to Kenyatta and Ruto, the decision of who will lead the country was a decision for Kenyans to make. The duo took every opportunity to remind voters that they have not yet been found guilty.

In their acceptance speeches, they said they were willing and ready to cooperate with international bodies and honor Kenya's obligations.

But many Kenyans find it hard to believe that a sitting head of state will freely present potentially incriminating information to a foreign agency. Sudan's President Hassan Omar al Bashir is another head of state who has been indicted by the ICC.

As he settles into office, Kenyatta should remember that many people voted for him and Ruto because of the progress they promised Kenyans. They promised food security, advances in the fight against poverty and unemployment, construction of quality infrastructure and free laptops for children. Now that the two are in power, Kenyans will be watching.

Challenges

Difficulties during the election are also raising questions. Electronic voter-identification devices failed to function properly. Some polling stations did not have electricity. At others, electoral officials had no idea how the machines worked. They used manual identification procedures, slowing down voting.

These hitches prompted Odinga to go to the Supreme Court to contest the results. The court can order a recount of the votes or a repeat election. If it orders new election, the contest will be between Odinga and Kenyatta, and will be held within 60 days of the ruling. If the court upholds the commission's figures, then Kenyatta will be in power for the next five years.

As he begins his five-year term, Kenyatta knows that the Kenyan economy is heavily dependent on assistance from the West, and he needs to cooperate fully with the ICC to ensure that his indictment does not have a negative effect on Kenya's economy. CA

(Reporting from Kenya)