Image /William Ruto & Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

President William Ruto has congratulated Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed following his appointment to a second term, describing the renewed mandate as a vote of confidence in the Ethiopian leader’s leadership and vision for the country.

Ruto conveyed his message after Ethiopia formally began a new five-year parliamentary and governmental cycle, with Abiy taking the oath of office on October 5, 2026.

“Congratulations my brother, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, on your re-election to lead Ethiopia for a second term,” Ruto said in a message.

Abiy’s return to office follows Ethiopia’s seventh general election, which was held on June 1, 2026. The election was primarily a parliamentary contest rather than a direct election for prime minister.

According to the National Election Board of Ethiopia, 54,057,861 voters were registered, while 51,734,193 cast ballots, representing approximately 95 percent of registered voters.

The election resulted in a commanding parliamentary majority for Abiy’s Prosperity Party. The party secured 438 of the 486 announced seats in the House of Peoples’ Representatives, giving it approximately 90.1 percent of the seats announced.

The result provided the parliamentary basis for Abiy’s continuation as prime minister.

More than 40 political parties participated in the parliamentary contest, although the opposition field was fragmented and several parties did not contest in a number of constituencies. The Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice, commonly known as Ezema, was among the main opposition parties and fielded 293 candidates, compared with 461 candidates from the Prosperity Party.

Voting was not conducted across all of Ethiopia. The conflict-affected Tigray region did not participate, while insecurity also disrupted voting in parts of Amhara and Oromia.

The National Election Board reported that more than 50 million people were registered for the election, while subsequent official figures placed total registered voters at more than 54 million.

Following the election, the newly elected House of Peoples’ Representatives convened on October 5 and formally appointed Abiy to another five-year term as Prime Minister. He subsequently took the oath of office, marking the formal beginning of his second term.

In congratulating Abiy, President Ruto said the new mandate represented confidence in the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s leadership and the vision he has for the country.

“I wish you continued success as you lead Ethiopia to achieve its transformation agenda,” Ruto said.

The Kenyan President also reaffirmed Nairobi’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Addis Ababa, particularly in areas of shared interest involving the two countries, the wider East African region and the international community.

“Kenya looks forward to continuing working closely with you to advance our shared interests for the mutual benefit of our peoples, our region and the wider global community,” Ruto said.

Abiy has served as Ethiopia’s Prime Minister since 2018. His second term now begins against the backdrop of ongoing security and political challenges in parts of the country, as well as the government’s stated focus on economic transformation and development.

For Kenya, Abiy’s renewed tenure provides continuity in relations between Nairobi and Addis Ababa, with both countries maintaining interests in regional stability, economic cooperation and broader East African affairs.