According to the Head of the Civil Service Francis Kimemia, the country will hold another presidential election within 60 days if the petition is successful/FILE
According to the Head of the Civil Service Francis Kimemia, the country will hold another presidential election within 60 days if the petition is successful.
If the election of Kenyatta was not contested, swearing in would have been on March 26 according to Assumption of the Office of President Committee.
According to Kimemia, the swearing in of the new president would have been on April 30 had there been a run-off, and June 18 if there is a repeat of the election.
Whereas six other presidential candidates who lost in the election conceded defeat, Prime Minister Raila Odinga and CORD disagreed with the decision of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) which declared Kenyatta the winner and said they would contest it before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has 14 days within which to hear and determine the petition after the date of filing. It is the court with original and exclusive jurisdiction over disputes in the presidential election.
At the conclusion of the hearing of an election petition, the court may make an order dismissing the petition; declaring the election of the president-elect to be valid or invalidate the declaration made by the IEBC.
While the court will give its decision at the end of the hearing, its reasons for the decisions must not to come immediately.
Despite the challenge expected in court, Kenyatta has been carrying on with his duties as the president-elect.
He has been holding meetings with diplomats, holders of constitutional commissions and government officials as he awaits his inauguration as president, if the petition by CORD is unsuccessful.
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