What Uhuru did minutes before Maraga cancelled case hearing on repeat election

mary kulundu

October 25, 2017 11:50 AM

Twist and turns of election day

Minutes before Chief Justice David Maraga postponed the hearing of a case calling for the October 26 presidential election be canceled, President Uhuru Kenyatta made his tough stand on the matter known.

In his address, Mr. Kenyatta opposed the case filed by three voters noting that the Supreme Court cannot avert its previous ruling.

According to the President, the apex court directed the repeat election after annulling the presidential results of the August 8 General Election hence cannot revise the ruling.

On Wednesday morning, CJ Maraga declined to hear the case noting that court lacked quorum since most of his colleagues could not make it for the session.

Maraga stated that Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu was not in a position to preside over a court process based on an incident where her driver was shot and injured on Tuesday evening. Another judge, Mohamed Ibrahim, was out of the country seeking treatment.

Judges Smoking Wanjala, Jackton Ojwang', and Njoki Ndung'u were said to be outside the city and had failed to get means to get to Nairobi on time.

The CJ and Justice Isaac Lenaola were the only ones present at the court. This means that the election which NASA is opposed to will continue as planned.

Following the proceedings Deputy President William Ruto stated: "God is great! The evil schemes to deny Kenyans the right to vote kesho have failed. WE WILL DECIDE and move our country forward tomorrow".

At the same time, Siaya Senator James Orengo described the outcome as a really sad day for Kenya.

"It is really a sad day for Kenya. These acts of intimidation have gone beyond the courts, electoral commission," Orengo said.

He maintained that there will be no election on October 26.

mary kulundu