Raila Odinga claims he will file a lawsuit before the Supreme Court one week after being ranked second in the presidential race. The five-time candidate for president referred to the outcomes that gave Deputy President William Ruto the victory as a “joke.”
On August 15, the head of the electoral commission reported that Ruto had received 50.49% of the votes and that his primary rival Odinga had received 48.85%. The following day, four out of the seven commissioners criticised Wafula Chebukati, the chairman, for his “opaque” leadership style and lack of consultation.
All of Kenya’s elections over the past 20 years have been marred by disagreements, which occasionally have resulted in violent protests.
Any plea this time has to be filed with the Supreme Court by August 22. After that, the highest court has two weeks to issue a ruling that could trigger a fresh election within 60 days.
After meeting with religious leaders, Odinga stated on Saturday from his house in Nairobi, “We want justice to be done so that peace can be found.”