Analysis
Historic Decision as Kenyatta’s Win is Nullified
Kenya’s Chief Justice David Maraga
In a landmark decision, Kenya’s Supreme Court has today annulled the election of Uhuru Kenyatta as the country’s President following the August 8 elections.
The Supreme Court ruled by 4 to 2 that a number of irregularities including the printing of ballot papers and other events leading up to the elections compromised the credibility of the elections.
Court presided over by Chief Justice David Maraga ordered a fresh election in 60 days.
Opposition contender Raila Odinga who ran to court, praised the ruling as a historic decision in the democratization process of Africa.
Odinga said: “For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by court nullifying a presidential election. It’s a Precedent-setting ruling and it’s very historical.”
The Supreme Court’s largely unexpected decision sparked wild celebrations especially in Odinga’s strongholds of Western Kenya and Mombasa.
In this unfolding story, some in Kenya have started to call for the resignation of the Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Wafula Chebukati to resign.
However, although IEBC chairman had been sued independently, Court ruled that there was no wrong-doing on his part.
The consequences of today’s ruling are likely to cause ripple effects on the country’s economy as well as its social political environment and perhaps beyond Kenya’s boarders.
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