Kenya's defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga filed an online petition to the country's top court on Monday challenging the result of the August 9 election that handed victory to his rival William Ruto, his lawyer told AFP.
NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya's defeated presidential candidate Raila Odinga filed an online petition to the country's top court on Monday challenging the result of the August 9 election that handed victory to his rival William Ruto, his lawyer told AFP.
Since 2002, every presidential election in Kenya has triggered a dispute, with this year's outcome also causing a rift within the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission which oversaw the poll. Judges now have 14 days to issue a ruling. If they order an annulment, a new vote must be held within 60 days.Hundreds of Odinga supporters gathered outside the court on Monday, blowing whistles and waving placards reading "Electoral Justice Now!" and "We want justice now".
Judges are also expected to consider other challenges against the result, with a court clerk telling reporters the tribunal had already received one petition filed by a voter. But in a shock development shortly before the results were announced, four of the IEBC's seven commissioners accused chairman Wafula Chebukati of running an "opaque" operation and later said the numbers did not add up.
On the campaign trail, both frontrunners pledged to resolve any disputes in court rather than on the streets.