Azimio leader Raila Odinga has hit out at the Chief Justice Martha Koome for claiming that the decision to uphold William Ruto’s win was God’s intervention.
According to the Former Prime Minister, he believes the decision was inspired by the devil.
“Today the Supreme Court is threatening those who petitioned the case before them. Chief Justice Martha Koome has also stopped Kenyans from discussing the judgement. She went to her village to defend the verdict even before they released the full judgement. She stated that the judgement was because of God. It was because of the devil,” Raila noted.
Adding:
“We have also come from a Judiciary which invested in intimidation. Today Supreme Court is threatening those talking about the judgement.
“In fact, Justice Isaac Lenaola is publicly accused of threatening Senator Okiya Omtatah with ruination over his stand on the court judgement. CJ Koome’s actions are clearly sycophantic, she has demeaned the dignity of the office of CJ. In less than a year, she has destroyed what her predecessors achieve in 10 years.”
Raila was addressing Azimio leaders at Machakos County.
The Chief Justice Martha Koome said the Supreme Court judgement was the “work of God”.
Speaking at a funeral in MCK Muiteria Church in Imenti North of her late aunt Salome Maingi Gakii, she attributed the judgement to God.
“The verdict was for the sake of independence of institutions, especially the Judiciary. It was not due to our power as a court but because we serve a living faithful God,” Koome said.
The Supreme Court dismissed all the nine grounds that it had listed for determination in the presidential petition filed by Azimio Coalition Challenging Ruto’s win.
The seven-judge bench comprised Koome, Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu and justices Njoki Ndung’u, Isaac Lenaola, Smokin Wanjala, Mohammed Ibrahim and William Ouko
Koome, who read the judgment on behalf of her colleagues, dismissed the petitions mainly due to lack of evidence, while also citing forgery of documents.
President-elect William Ruto also attributed his victory to God.
In a statement after the Supreme Court upheld his presidential election, Ruto said his journey to the presidency is a testament to God’s will.
“With men, it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible,” he tweeted.
Reading the verdict of the Supreme Court on Monday, Koome said Ruto was validly elected as president and that he garnered 50 per cent plus one vote cast required for one to be announced the winner.
One-million people march to the Judiciary
Yesterday, Raila said he can lead a one-million people march to the Judiciary and send rogue officials home.
In his speech, the former prime minister hit out at the Judiciary for throwing out his election petition.
This was the first time he was publicly addressing the matter since the judgment was delivered on September 5, 2022.
He maintained that the election results were manipulated by Venezuelan national Jose Carmargo, whose name featured in the petition, saying that the Supreme Court judgment could result in voter apathy.
“Why should women, children, the elderly and those living with disability queue for so many hours to cast their votes, when at the end of the day it is a mercenary from Venezuela called Jose Carmargo who ultimately decides who becomes the president of this country?” Odinga questioned.
He faulted the Judiciary for failing to find enough evidence of the said Venezuelan’s alleged interference to nullify the presidential election.
“Shame on the Judiciary of this country and I see them protesting and trying to give threats. We will talk! The constitution of this country gives power to the people of Kenya. All those in power are exercising donated power.
“If they become rogue we have power as the people of this country to remove them and send them home. We can lead a 1 million march to the Judiciary and send them home. The Judiciary should not threaten or blackmail the people of this country after the mess they’ve done,” Odinga said in his passionate speech.
He termed the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court as Judicial thuggery and he would not be cowed by the government.
