Former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has congratulated President-Elect Uhuru Kenyatta.

The former UN chief at the same time called on Kenyatta to ensure he unites all Kenyans in order to move the country forward.

“I congratulate President Kenyatta on his re-election and his victory speech in which he reached out to his rival and called on all Kenyans to reconcile and embrace peace. I urge him to pursue these efforts to bring together all elements of Kenyan society to move the country forward,” Annan said.

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Annan also urged NASA leader Raila Odinga to pursue his grievances through the courts and follow “the due process of the law and to put the interest of the nation first, as he has patriotically done on past”.

He termed Odinga as “a courageous defender of democracy” and thanked him for conducting a peaceful campaign.

Annan also thanked the millions of Kenyans who turned out to exercise their democratic right to choose their leaders.

“I congratulate the people of Kenya for turning out in large numbers to exercise their democratic right of voting and maintaining peace before and throughout the process,” Annan applauded.

Nine years ago, Annan brokered a peace deal between retired President Mwai Kibaki and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga that ended the post-election turmoil in 2008.

He led the Panel of Eminent African Personalities convened by the African Union in the negotiations that ended the post-election violence following the disputed December 27, 2007 elections.

The peace accord was signed between retired Mr Kibaki of Party of National Unity and Mr Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement.

The National Accord signed on February 28, 2008, at the height of the post poll chaos, saw the birth of the Grand Coalition Government led by the two leaders.