- The Court of Appeal on Friday set aside an order suspending the implementation of the Finance Act, 2023.
- Khalwale said the court ruling adds to the growing list of losses that the Azimio la Umoja coalition has suffered on the political front.
Image: FILE
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has mocked the Azimio coalition following the court's decision to lift a freeze order on the implementation of the Finance Act, 2023.
Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah, Eliud Matindi, Michael Otieno and four others had obtained the order on grounds that the Act was unconstitutional.
But on Friday, Justice Mohamed Warsame, Kathurima M'Inoti and Hello Omondi set aside the freeze order saying they were persuaded that the appellants satisfied the principles for the grant of the orders sought, and that, public interest tilts in favour of setting aside the conservatory orders granted by Lady Justice Mugure Thande on June 30.
Khalwale said the court ruling adds to the growing list of losses that the Azimio la Umoja coalition has suffered on the political front.
"Lost the 2022 General Election, lost the BBI and presidential election petition in the Supreme Court, lost Maandamano in the streets, and finally, lost the Finance Bill in the Court of Appeal," the senator said on Saturday via Twitter.
"For Azimio, it never rains, it pours," he added.
Azimio leader Raila Odinga came second to President William Ruto at the August 9 polls by garnering 6.9 million votes against Ruto's 7.1 million.
He challenged the results but lost the resultant petition with the Supreme Court terming evidence adduced as nothing short of red herring and wild goose.
Before the loss, Raila and his handshake partner Uhuru Kenyatta had in March 2022 lost the Building Bridges Initiative case.
The Supreme Court dismissed plans to amend the Constitution through the initiative and agreed with two lower courts that the former President was the promoter of the initiative and that the Constitution does not grant him the power to amend it through a popular initiative.
"The President commenced and spearheaded the process from its inception and only passed on the baton to the two co-chairpersons when it was too late in the day and beyond recall,” the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome ruled.