President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses a crowd on September 1, 2017 in a Nairobi suburb, following an announcement by the country’s Supreme Court that Kenya’s August 8 election, in which Uhuru was declared winner, had been cancelled. PHOTO: TONY KARUMBA / AFP
Kenyatta wins at Supreme Court but it is not yet Uhuru
The son of the first Vice President of Kenya, Raila Odinga may have to wait for President Uhuru Kenyatta to finish his new tenure. His hopes of getting the court to quash the October 26 election has shattered.
However, the newspaper can say that it is not yet Uhuru for Kenya. Tension is still high as Kenyatta’s inauguration is expected by the month-end.
Kenya’s Supreme Court early today dismissed two petitions to overturn the country’s presidential election re-run, validating the poll victory of President Kenyatta.
“The court has unanimously determined that the petitions are not merited. As a consequence, the presidential election of 26 October is hereby upheld as is the election of the third respondent,” said Chief Justice David Maraga, referring to Kenyatta.
The ruling paves the way for Kenyatta to be sworn in on November 28, bringing to a close what has been a divisive and often deadly election process.
Will this stop the rising political tension, killing?
Last week, on Odinga’s return to country, a mass of supporters clashed with the state security operatives and about four persons were left dead.
That shows that the four-month election crisis is not getting over. There is still uncertainty how Odinga’s supporters would react to Kenyatta being sworn in.
Protesters began gathering in his western city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, where they set a vehicle alight, an AFP correspondent said.
“Clashes had erupted in Nairobi’s Mathare slum on Sunday after four bodies were found in the street, with outrage spreading to Kibera and protests also taking place in Kisumu.
Nairobi police chief Japheth Koome said the cause of the four deaths was not immediately clear but that the victims appeared to have been hit by a blunt object, while one had also been cut.
However, the opposition claimed the four had been shot dead, and angry residents blamed members of Kenyatta’s Kikuyu tribe”, wrote The Guardian.