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Supreme Court should be probed over poll verdict – Raila

"We thought we would get justice in the Supreme Court. We did not get justice, all we got was insults."

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by EMMANUEL WANJALA

News26 May 2023 - 13:58
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In Summary


  • • Raila said they went to court in the hope of getting justice at the apex court following the disputed poll results but all the got were insults.
  • • On September 5, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the victory of William Ruto and affirmed his election as Kenya's fifth President.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga and Narc Kenya Leader Martha Karua during a press briefing at the Kalonzo Command Centre on May 24, 2023.

Azimio leader Raila Odinga now says the Supreme Court should be investigated over the verdict it rendered in the presidential elections petition of August 9.

Raila said they went to court in the hope of getting justice at the apex court following the disputed poll results but all they got were insults.

"Everybody was at fault. When we went to the court, we thought we would get justice in the Supreme Court. We did not get justice, all we got was insults, matusi!" Raila said.

He was speaking on Friday during a Thanksgiving service at the home of Azimio la Umoja co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka in Yatta.

"Kwa hivyo sisi tunasema hata Supreme Court itachunguzwa. Hii uamuzi ilitoka wapi (So we are saying even the Supreme Court will have to be investigated. Where did this ruling come from?)," Raila asked.

On September 5, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the victory of William Ruto and affirmed his election as Kenya's fifth President.

Chief Justice Martha Koome delivered the verdict saying Ruto garnered the requisite 50 per cent plus one of the valid votes cast at the polls.

Former IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati had on August 15, 2022 declared Ruto the President-elect with 7,176,141 votes against Raila's 6,942,930.

While delivering the verdict, Koome used some unsavory words in describing the evidence that the Azimio la Umoja had submitted to the Court.

"This turned out to be no more than hot air and we were taken on a wild goose chase that produced nothing of probative value," Koome said in reference to the evidence described by lawyer Judy Soweto as the "bombshell."

"There was no man in the middle of the server," Koome ruled. "Some of the statements made to this effect were outright forgeries," the CJ added.

She went on to describe claims by Raila that the postponement of elections in some of his strongholds resulted in voter suppression as "another red herring." 

Raila said whereas he did not agree with the judgment, he was going to respect it.

Two weeks later, he publicly condemned the CJ's choice of words saying they were unnecessary since the court had already dismissed the petition. 

"Actions of Koome demeans the dignity of the Chief Justice office. She has destroyed what her predecessors achieved," he said.

"Supreme Court is now in politics and she said that the ruling was inspired by God, I believe it was inspired by the devil," Raila said on September 16, 2022 during a meeting with Azimio elected leaders in Machakos.

In his speech in Yatta on Friday, the Azimio boss reiterated his stand that he will not stop his pushback against electoral injustice until and unless the concerns they have raised are fully addressed.

"We will not tire telling the truth. We want to make rigging a very very expensive enterprise that nobody will ever again think of rigging an election in this country," he said.

"Without resolving this matter convincingly, there will be no peace in this country. Kenyans will not go back to elections in 2027 and the elections will be rigged again. It will never happen again," Raila added.

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