Uhuru Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's founding president, takes up his father's mantle to become head of state despite facing charges of crimes against humanity over election violence five years ago. Uhuru, meaning "freedom", and Kenyatta, the "light of Kenya" in Swahili, carries his country's aspirations in his name, but brings with him controversy. Kenyatta, 51, and running mate William Ruto face trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity over their alleged role in having orchestrated 2007-08 post-election unrest.

Kenya's Supreme Court on Saturday upheld Uhuru Kenyatta's presidential election victory, throwing out a bid by his rival for a new poll that would have revived the spectre of violence. The court unanimously ruled that the March 4 election had been fair and credible and that Kenyatta and his running mate had been "validly elected". "The presidential election ... was conducted in a free, fair, transparent and credible manner in compliance with the provisions of the constitution and all relevant provisions of the law," Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said.

By James Macharia NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta, the wealthy son of the country's independence hero, brushed off international charges of crimes against humanity to present himself as a statesman with the economic skills to help ordinary citizens. Backed by voters from Kenya's biggest tribe, the Kikuyu, in a nation where ethnic loyalties trump ideology at the ballot box, the 51-year-old listed as Kenya's richest man had his win confirmed by the Supreme Court on Saturday after a legal challenge.

KISUMU, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyan police fired teargas on Saturday at hundreds of stone-throwing youths in the western city of Kisumu, a stronghold of defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga, after a court threw out his challenge to the victory of rival Uhuru Kenyatta. "No Raila, no peace," some of the youths chanted, echoing slogans used after a 2007 election when Odinga disputed the victory of now outgoing President Mwai Kibaki. Ethnic violence after that vote killed more than 1,200 people.