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- Kenya’s defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga filed an online petition to the country’s top court challenging the result of the August 9 election
Kenya’s defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga filed an online petition to the country’s top court challenging the result of the August 9 election. His arch rival William Ruto has been declared as the winner. Earlier, Odinga, rejected the outcome of the poll, branding it a travesty of justice. The lead was only around 230,000 votes, less than two percentage points. A physical copy of the petition would be filed before the Supreme Court.
Although polling day passed off peacefully, the announcement of the results a week ago sparked angry protests in some Odinga strongholds. There are fears that the dispute may lead to violence in a country with a history of post-poll unrest.
Political analysts thought this year’s outcome would go without any rift. Odinga, who was making his fifth bid for the top job, also approached the Supreme Court in August 2017. That time, he was pitted against current President Uhuru Kenyatta and now his supporter, who was declared the winner of the presidential race. Later, the court annulled that election in a first for Africa and ordered a rerun which was boycotted by Odinga, leading to violence when several people died in the violence.
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After filing the complaint, court will have 14 days to decide on the issue. In the meantime, a large number of Odinga supporters gathered outside the court blowing whistles and waving placards, which suggested that they wanted justice. Judges are expected to consider other challenges also against the result. Court authorities have said that they received one petition filed by a voter.
