Kenyan Writes to Supreme Court Seeking to Stop President-elect Ruto’s Swearing-in and a Fresh Presidential Election

A Kenyan has written to the Supreme Court seeking an order to stop the swearing-in of president-elect William Ruto and have a repeat presidential election. 

In a letter addressed to Chief Justice Martha Koome, Alfred Juma Ayora wants the apex court to nullify the election of Ruto and deputy president-elect Rigathi Gachagua and call for a fresh election.

“I write to express the unsatisfactory nature of this year General Election results for Presidential candidate, which were announced by the IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati on August 15, 2022. I petition for the re-election of the presidential candidates,” read the letter in part.

While the letter was stamped as received at the Supreme Court sub-registry, Juma was advised to draft a petition and hire an advocate to help him advance his intended legal action. 

Juma, a resident of Nairobi, argues that it was his democratic right to see the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) conduct a free and fair election.

He contends that the results of the presidential election as announced by IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati are not credible following the decision by four commissioners of the electoral commission to disown them.

“It is my hope the court will consider my request and ensure my democratic rights are met. I request the court to postpone the swearing-in of the president-elect,” says Juma.

On Tuesday, Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition presidential candidate Raila Odinga rejected the results of the August 9th presidential election where Ruto was announced the winner. 

Terming the results as null and void, Odinga vowed to challenge Ruto’s victory in court, accusing Chebukati of violating the Constitution and electoral laws in his decision to declare Ruto the president-elect.

"What we saw yesterday was a travesty of the laws of Kenya by Wafula Chebukati and a minority of IEBC commissioners... The figures announced by Wafula Chebukati are null and void and must be quashed by a court of law. In our view there is no legally declared president-elect," said Odinga.

“We totally and without reservations reject the presidential results announced yesterday… We are pursuing constitutional and lawful channels and processes to invalidate Mr. Chebukati’s illegal and unconstitutional pronouncement.”