NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 22 – Azimio La Umoja – One Kenya running mate Martha Karua has affirmed that the coalition has a “watertight” case in their petition challenging the win by President-elect William Ruto.
Karua, who, alongside her leader, Raila Odinga, filed the petition on Monday at the Supreme Court, asserted that the evidence they have gathered is “overwhelming.”
“We are assured that the Supreme Court will uphold the rule of law, and justice will be served. This is for The People,” she said.
Odinga is disputing the victory of William Ruto, who was declared President-Elect by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairperson Wafula Chebukati on August 15, 2022.
The former Prime Minister has accused Chebukati of bungling the polls and subverting the will of some 15 million people who participated in the election.
Chebukati has been listed as a respondent in the petition, which will be heard and determined by a seven Judge bench of the apex court chaired by Chief Justice Martha Koome.
“We have enough evidence that it is us who won the election. We didn’t have an election we can be proud of,” Odinga told a press conference after filing the case.
Senior Counsel and Siaya Governor-Elect James Orengo, who is leading Odinga’s defense team, exuded confidence that the court will deliver justice and set the record straight.
“I have participated in many petitions, but his one, I can tell you, is a bombshell, and we’ve got so many smoking guns. So, therefore, the conclusion is that we will have a determination in favor of Raila Odinga,” he stated.
Odinga, who has unsuccessfully contested Kenya’s presidency five times, is banking on the court’s determination which he hopes will keep his dream alive of ascending to power.
The court will hold a pre-trial conference on Wednesday or Thursday, setting out the rules of engagement for the proceedings before the hearing and determination of the suit.
The Judges will give their verdict on September 5, 2022.
If the Judges uphold the election of Ruto, he will be sworn into office on September 13, 2022.
Nullification of the election would send Kenyans back to the polls, which must be conducted within 60 days, with the specific day being November 4, 2022.
