Kenya's Raila Odinga Challenges Election Result In Court
Raila Odinga on Monday challenged Kenya’s presidential election results in the Supreme Court and alleged the tally had involved “criminality”.
The veteran opposition leader wants the Supreme Court of Kenya to nullify the vote’s outcome on several grounds, including a mismatch between the turnout figures and the result.
Odinga also alleged that the election commission failed to tally ballots from 27 constituencies, rendering the result unverifiable and unaccountable. Odinga said:
We have enough evidence to prove all of the criminality that occurred. We are confident that in the end, the truth will be revealed.
Odinga has made five attempts at the presidency and has blamed several previous losses on rigging.
In 2017, more than 100 people died, while in 2007, over 1 200 Kenyan lost their lives in election-related violence after Odinga had rejected the results.
Last week the election commissioner, Wafula Chebukati, declared Odinga’s rival, Deputy President William Ruto, had won the 9 August election by a slim margin.
Ruto secured 50.49 per cent of the vote in his first-ever attempt at the top job, just ahead of Odinga on 48.85 per cent.
However, four out of seven election commissioners, including Chebukati’s deputy, Juliana Cherera, dissented, saying the tallying of results had not been transparent.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, its chairman and Ruto have four days to respond to Odinga’s claims through court filings.
The case will be heard by the seven-member Supreme Court and presided over by Martha Koome, Kenya’s first female chief justice, who was appointed by Kenyatta last year.
The constitution requires judges to issue their decision within 14 days of the lawsuit being filed.
In 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the election result and ordered a re-run, which Odinga boycotted, saying he had no faith in the election commission.
In the 9 August election, Odinga was backed by President Uhuru Kenyatta after falling out with his deputy, Ruto, after the last election.
Kenya is East Africa’s wealthiest and most stable nation, home to regional headquarters for firms like General Electric, Google and Uber.
The country also provides peacekeepers for neighbouring Somalia and frequently hosts peace talks for other nations in the volatile East Africa region.
More: Reuters
