The Supreme Court of Kenya on Monday, September 5 unanimously upheld President-elect William Ruto’s win in the August, 9 polls.
Upholding Ruto’s election paves way for him to be sworn in next week on Tuesday, September 13.
“This is a unanimous decision of the court and we make the following orders; The presidential election petition number E005 of 2022 as consolidated with presidential election petition numbers E001, 2, 3,4,7 and 8 of 2022 are hereby dismissed.” Koome read the verdict.
“As a consequence, we declare the election of the first respondent as President-elect to be valid under Article 143 of the Constitution. This being a matter cutting across the public interest, we order that each party bear their own cost. It is so ordered.” She continued.
Nevertheless, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati, on August 15, 2022, declared William Ruto winner of the 2022 presidential polls after garnering 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast.
In addition, Ruto’s main rival Raila Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition party got 6,942,930 votes representing 48 per cent of the votes cast.
Moreover, while delivering the abridged version of the judgement, Chief Justice Martha Koome stated that the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was electoral malpractice to warrant annulment.
“It is our finding that the declared President-Elect attained 50% +1 of all the votes cast in accordance with article 138.4 of the constitution,” she ruled.
Likewise, the Supreme Court dismissed all of the nine petitions presented before it to show the need to annul Ruto’s victory as President-Elect.
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Nevertheless, the constitution stipulates that, President-Elect be sworn in next week Tuesday.
“The President-elect shall be sworn in on the first Tuesday following the fourteenth day after the date of the declaration of the result of the presidential election if no petition has been filed under Article 140; or The seventh day following the date on which the court renders a decision declaring the election to be valid, if any petition has been filed under Article 140.”
