Supreme Court Judges to Deliver Ruling on Presidential Petition on Friday

The Supreme Court hearings of a presidential petition lodged at the court by National Super Alliance (NASA) leader Raila Odinga ended on Tuesday night, with Chief Justice David Maraga saying a verdict by the seven judge bench will be delivered on Wednesday.

The former Prime Minister argued the presidential election was rigged and filed a petition at the highest court in the land, hoping electoral commission’s declaration of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election with 54 percent of the vote would be overturned.

After hearing closing submissions from lawyers representing Raila Odinga, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and President Uhuru Kenyatta, Chief Justice David Maraga said, “That brings us to the end of the hearing. We will deliver judgement on Friday.”

Odinga alleges that hacking, coupled by massive irregularities, as well as serious breach of electoral laws delivered victory to President Uhuru Kenyatta and believes it is the third time in a row his victory was denied.

On Tuesday the court was served with reports from its own registrar and a panel of court appointed experts who scrutinized electoral commission's servers as well as form 34A and B used to declare Kenyatta the winner.

In his final submission Nasa lead lawyer James Orengo, said the reports told “a very, very sad story” of irregularities, and urged the court to call for a fresh election.

However, lawyers for the IEBC and Kenyatta argued that the report by Supreme Court registrar validated their argument that the vote was free and fair.

“All they have been talking about is this technicality or that technicality,” said IEBC lawyer Paul Muite of the NASA case. “The results announced captured and represented the will of the Kenyan people.”

“This was a fair election in which the integrity of the vote was protected as far as is humanly possible,” President Uhuru lawyer Fred Ngatia said.

The seven Supreme Court judges will now have Wednesday and Thursday to consider the evidence presented before them before delivering the ruling on Friday.