NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 1 – Former Attorney General Githu Muigai who is representing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) at the Presidential petition challenging the election of William Ruto, has termed the petition as a witch hunt against the commission’s Chairperson Wafula Chebukati.
Muigai told the seven judge bench that the petitioners reduced their submissions to personalized attacks on Chebukati,
He said that the petitioners levelled grave allegations against the chairman and the commission which were vindictive without a shred of evidence.
“Nothing is wrong with Wafula Chebukati, there is nothing wrong with IEBC, there is something very wrong in the way the persons who participate in the electoral process accept winning or losing,” Muigai stated.
Muigai also told the court that the attack on the chairpersons of the electoral commission is personal and has a long history, as he gave a list of former chairs of the commission from Kivuitu and now Chebukati.
He insisted that the August 9 General Election was conducted within the law, noting that it was hailed as one of the most open and transparent elections.
“This election was conducted as most international observers observed, it was the fairest. All observers came back with one conclusion, this was an open and transparent election.Was it a perfect election? No. Because there is nothing like a perfect election,” he submitted.
He also hailed Chebukati for overseeing the most transparent election.
“At an appropriate time when all this is over I have no doubt that an independent group of people looking at the work that Chebukati has done for our nation, will recognise him as an outstanding hero,” he said.
On Wednesday Azimio’s legal team as well as other seven petitioners in the presidential petition asked the court to nullify the presidential election on grounds that it was not conducted within the constitution.
According to the court schedule, on Friday there will be rejoinders from both the petitioners and the respondents.
The judges will then retreat over the weekend to write their judgement.
The court is expected to deliver its judgement on Monday, September 5, 2022, and their decision is final.
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