CHOICE 2022: Supreme Court Confirms William Ruto As President-Elect
After a week of supreme court battle, the Supreme Court of Kenya has unanimously upheld the declaration of William Ruto as the president-elect of the republic of Kenya.
Reading the Judgment on 5th June at midday, the Supreme Court’s chief justice Martha Koome blasted opposition leader Raila Odinga’s accusations of cheating, saying there was sufficient evidence to back up his claim.
The former Prime Minister had moved to court to challenge the declaration of United Democratic Alliance (UDA) leader, William Ruto, as the winner of the August 9 presidential elections.
Raila along with other petitioners raised nine issues, saying that the election was rigged and poorly conducted by the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
The apex court dismissed all nine demands raised by the petitioners, saying IEBC complied with the law to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.
On August 15, the IEBC chairman Mr. Wafula Chebukati announced Dr. Ruto who ran through the Kenya Kwanza coalition as President-Elect.
“We declare the election of the first respondent [William Ruto] as president elect,” read Chief Justice Martha Koome when giving today’s verdict at the Supreme Court of Kenya in Nairobi.
Ruto, who served as deputy president between 2013 and 2022, garnered 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 percent of the total number of votes cast.
Mr Raila, on the hand, came close, garnering 6,942,930 votes, equal to 48.85 percent.
The supreme court has determined that president-elect William Ruto attained 50+1 votes as stipulated in the constitution.
In a response, moments later, the veteran politician said that he respects the opinion of the court “although we vehemently disagree with their decision today”.
“We find it incredible that the judges found against us on all nine grounds and occasion resulted in unduly exaggerated language to refute our claims”, he wrote in a statement.
This was Odinga’s fifth unsuccessful bid to become president, and, at the age of 77, the final attempt.
