CJ Koome Says Supreme Court Verdict Was 'Because of God'

Wednesday, September 07, 2022

Chief Justice Martha Koome

File | Nation Media Group

By Gitonga Marete

Chief Justice Martha Koome has termed Monday’s Supreme Court decision to uphold the election of President-elect William Ruto “the work of God”, saying the judges' ruling happened after God’s intervention.

She spoke Wednesday while addressing mourners at the funeral service of her late aunt, Ms Salome Maingi Gakii, at MCK Muiteria Church in Imenti North.

“This (judgment) was for the sake of independence of institutions, especially the Judiciary. It was not due to our might or power as a court but because of the faithful God that we serve,” she said amid applause.

The Supreme Court dismissed all the nine grounds that it had listed for determination in Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate Raila Odinga’s petition challenging the victory of Dr Ruto.

The seven-judge bench comprising Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and justices Njoki Ndung’u, Isaac Lenaola, Smokin Wanjala, Mohammed Ibrahim and William Ouko unanimously dismissed the petitions mainly due to lack of evidence, while also citing forgery of documents. CJ Koome had read the judgment on behalf of her colleagues.

President-elect Ruto polled 7.2 million or 50.49 percent of the total votes cast in the August 9 poll. While this result was disputed by Mr Odinga, the court ruled that he had been validly elected, paving the way for his swearing-in as the country’s fifth president next Tuesday.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati had alleged that he was prevailed upon by senior security chiefs to moderate the results and force a run off.

Mr Chebukati fell out with vice-chairperson Juliana Cherera and commissioners Francis Wanderi, Justus Nyang’aya and Irene Masit who rejected his declaration of Dr Ruto as President-elect.

They have since beat a hasty retreat from their initial disagreement with their chairperson, saying yesterday that they supported Mr Chebukati's view that the electoral agency had conducted free, fair and transparent elections on August 9.

gmarete@ke.nationmedia.com