Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta said on Friday, September 1, 2017 he disagreed with a Supreme Court ruling that nullified his win in last month’s presidential election, but that he would respect the decision and urged citizens to do the same.
“The court has made its decision. We respect it. We don’t agree with it. And again, I say peace … peace, peace, peace,” he said in a televised address. “That is the nature of democracy”.
Kenya’s Supreme Court annulled the result of last month’s presidential election, citing irregularities.
The ruling makes Kenya the first African country where an opposition court challenge against presidential poll results has been successful.
Consequently, the court ruled that a re-run be conducted within 60 days.
The election commission had declared incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta the winner by a margin of 1.4 million votes.
But the opposition said voting systems had been hacked, causing massive fraud.
“The presidential election held on August 8 was not conducted in accordance with the constitution,” Chief Justice David Maraga ruled, according to Kenya’s The Nation Newspaper.
The ruling favoured Raila Odinga, head of the country’s main opposition who had challenged the electoral commission’s announcement of President Uhuru Kenyatta as the winner last month.
Mr. Maraga said this was a majority decision, but two judges dissented.
The electoral commission “failed, neglected or refused to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution,” the Supreme Court ruled.
The election was marred by violence, after Mr. Odinga rejected the result, citing irregularities and illegalities.
Hattip to Premium Times, CNN, BBC.
