- William Ruto will be sworn in as Kenya’s fifth president next week.
- His rival, Raila Odinga, and others had claimed massive fraud in the August 9 election.
- Mr Ruto received 50.5% of the vote in the close election, compared to 48.8% for his rival.
The Supreme Court of Kenya has ruled that William Ruto was duly elected president, dismissing several petitions seeking to overturn the results of the August 9 election.
His rival, Raila Odinga, and others had claimed massive fraud.
However, in a harsh ruling, the judges stated that some of the petitioners had falsified evidence.
Mr Ruto received 50.5% of the vote in the close election, while Mr Odinga received 48.8%.
Next week, the 55-year-old will be sworn in as the country’s fifth president.
Following the ruling, Mr Ruto stated that he would extend a friendly hand to his political opponents and thanked the judiciary and the electoral commission for upholding the “will of the people.”
Mr Ruto, despite being the current deputy president, was not supported by outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, who instead campaigned for his former rival, Mr Odinga.
Mr Ruto, on the other hand, said he would speak with both men soon and promised that his government would look after them in retirement.
“We are not enemies, we are Kenyans. Let us unite to make Kenya a nation of which everyone shall be proud to call home,” he said.
The eight petitions filed in opposition to the elections were all dismissed.
Some were based on forged documents and “sensational information,” according to Chief Justice Martha Koome in a unanimous decision on behalf of the seven judges.
She claimed that no credible evidence of tampering with the electronic voting transmission system had been presented.
Ms Koome also stated that Mr Ruto had met the constitutional requirement of receiving 50%+1 of the votes cast.
The decision brings an end to a protracted election dispute that began after the polls closed last month.
Mr Odinga’s team had bolstered his case by citing the dissent of four of the seven electoral commissioners, who had disowned the poll results due to disagreements with the chairman.
While noting the commission’s “dysfunction” in managing its internal affairs, the court stated that it was not convinced that the chairman’s claims of running a one-man show were sufficient to undermine the election.
“Are we to nullify the outcome of an election on the basis of a last-minute boardroom rupture the details of which remain sketchy?” asked the judges.
The judges also chastised lawyers and petitioners who filed falsified documents in court, with the intention of discouraging future fraudulent petitions.
The decision sparked joy in Mr Ruto’s home region of the Rift Valley and parts of the Central Province, where his running mate is from.
Kisumu, Mr Odinga’s stronghold, has a subdued atmosphere. The streets are deserted, and some businesses are closed.
President Kenyatta is scheduled to speak to the nation later on Monday.
Kenyans will now be watching the political fallout from Mr. Ruto’s victory for the main players.
Mr. Odinga has now lost five elections in a row. At 77, it’s difficult to see him running again, or even remaining active in opposition politics, though his statement condemning Monday’s ruling says he will continue the “struggle for transparency, accountability, and democracy.”
Outgoing President Kenyatta, who worked hard to prevent his deputy from succeeding him, will have to wait and see if their relationship remains strained.
Most importantly, Kenya has demonstrated that it is capable of resolving election disputes without resorting to the violence seen in the past.
[embedpost slug=”raila-odinga-denies-kenya-election-results/”]
