The historic opponent Raila Odinga, unsuccessful candidate for the Kenyan presidential election last week, announced on Saturday a legal action following the results of the poll, which he described as a “joke” following the victory of outgoing vice-president William Ruto.
Last Monday, following six days of interminable waiting for the 50 million Kenyans, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC), an independent body that appeared deeply divided, announced the victory of William Ruto with 50.49% of the vote once morest 48 85% for Raila Odinga. Mr. Odinga rejected those results on Tuesday.
Monday evening, to everyone’s surprise, four of the seven commissioners of the IEBC had rejected the results a few minutes before their announcement, accusing Wafula Chebukati, the president of the IEBC, of his “opaque” management and his lack of consultation.
“We want justice to be done so that peace can be found,” Odinga said from his home in Nairobi on Saturday following meeting with religious leaders.
“We decided to use the law to go to the Supreme Court (…) to show that it was not an election but a joke,” he added.
This election constitutes a fifth defeat in a presidential poll for Mr. Odinga, even if his candidacy was supported this year by incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and the ruling party.
No presidential election has been free from contestation in Kenya since 2002 and disputes have sometimes led to bloody clashes.
In August 2017, the Supreme Court overturned the presidential election following Mr. Kenyatta’s victory was rejected by Mr. Odinga. Dozens of people had been killed by police in protests.
The followingmath of this year’s poll has been closely watched, seen as a test of democratic maturity in the country which has East Africa’s strongest economy.
In 2007, an election also very close, Mr. Odinga had also, without going to court, refused the result, which had triggered the worst post-election crisis in the history of the country, with more than 1,100 deaths in inter-ethnic clashes.
Any motion to challenge must be filed by Monday August 22 with the Supreme Court, which then has 14 days to render its decision. If it orders the annulment, a new ballot must be organized within 60 days.
“We are doing this to defend democracy and our country,” Odinga said.