Kenya Supreme Court upholds Ruto's presidential victory

Kenya Supreme Court upholds Ruto
# 05 September 2022 19:03 (UTC +04:00)

Kenya's Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld William Ruto's presidential win in a scathing judgment that blasted opposition leader Raila Odinga's accusations of cheating, APA reports citing Reuters.

Soon after, Odinga tweeted that he would respect the ruling even though he disagreed with it, easing fears that Kenya would see any repeat of the violence that followed disputed votes in 2007 and 2017.

Several public figures and anti-corruption campaigners - including some who had backed Odinga - welcomed the judgment, saying it bolstered the court's reputation for independence.

"This decision is good for the judiciary. This election result is bad for Kenya. Two things can be true at the same time," tweeted author Nanjala Nyabola, who had not backed either candidate.

There were no immediate signs of protest in Odinga's stronghold of Kisumu city or the low-income neighbourhoods of Nairobi that traditionally support the left-wing politician.

“There is nothing we can do, the judgment has been made,” Geoffrey Omondi, a 33-year-old electrical engineer who supported Odinga, said.

Ruto's jubilant supporters danced and waved flags in his party colours of yellow and green.

East Africa's most wealthy and influential nation had been on tenterhooks since the Aug. 9 elections, which pitted Ruto - a former chicken seller - against two of nation's two most powerful political families.

Similar accusations of cheating triggered deadly election violence, often with ethnic undertones, during the two previous polls.

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED