President Kenyatta now wants changes in law to avoid a 'judicial coup' after nullification of his win

david nganga

September 22, 2017 10:24 AM

Kenyatta said the recent judgement regarding the Aug 8 poll has created uncertainties and raised matters that require legislative attention.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday instructed Parliament to make necessary legal changes aimed at protecting the country from ambiguities that may arise from the Supreme Court judgement that nullified his Aug 8 win.

While speaking to Jubilee Party elected leaders from Northern Kenya at State House, Kenyatta urged the National Assembly to act with speed in making the necessary legal changes to the Judiciary just two days after the Supreme Court gave its detailed judgement on why it annulled the Presidential poll.

“The judgment has a potential to throw us into judicial chaos,” Mr Kenyatta said. “I urge Parliament to act with speed to protect our country from ambiguities that may arise from that judgment.”

The head-of-state made the remarks even as the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) moved the date of the repeat presidential poll from October 17 to 26.

At the same time, Mr. Kenyatta said the decision by the Supreme Court to nullify the August 8 presidential election was a “coup by four people sitting in court.”

He described the majority decision in the full judgment delivered Wednesday as judicial dictatorship that had robbed Kenyans the power of decision making.

“This was a coup…I must call it what it is.”

“This is a voice of a few, who on their own decided they can choose a leader for the majority of Kenyans. If this is not dictatorship, I don’t know what it is,” he remarked.

On September 1, the court annulled by a majority of four judges against two Mr Kenyatta’s 1.4 million-vote win over his rival Raila Odinga. The IEBC was then ordered to conduct a fresh vote within 60 days.

david nganga