Kenya’s defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga and flagbearer of the Azimio La Umoja (Aspiration to Unite) coalition has filed a formal petition challenging the election results in Kenya’s Supreme Court on Monday.
Confirming this, one of Odinga’s lawyers, Daniel Maanzo said the petition was filed online Monday morning. A physical copy is expected to arrive at the court’s registry in Nairobi before the 2pm deadline.
Odinga’s Azimio La Umoja (Aspiration to Unite) coalition said it had sufficient evidence in the petition to prove misconduct by the electoral commission after the August 9 presidential election that handed a marginal win for Deputy President William Ruto.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission’s results said Ruto, 55,secured 50.49% of the vote against Odinga’s 48.85%. The margin is put at 230,000 votes.
This is Odinga’s fifth time running and third time challenging his loss in presidential elections through the Supreme Court. He had filed a case after the last two elections in 2013 and 2017.
In 2017, the Supreme Court ordered a re-election to be held, which was boycotted by Odinga who again lost to incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“We have a strong petition and we’re hopeful that it will go through,” Maanzo told CNN on Monday. “We’re asking the court to decide if the constitution was followed in declaring the presidential results. If it was not within the constitution, then it is null and void.”
The Supreme Court has 14 days from Monday to hear Odinga’s case and deliver a verdict. If the seven judges rule in favour of 77-year-old Odinga then a recount of votes , a fresh election, or outright award of presidency to Odinga, is possible.