Kenyans await new Supreme Court verdict on presidential poll

By Linda Bordoni

Religious leaders in Kenya this week urged all citizens to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court rejecting applications that challenge the results of a divisive 9th August presidential poll.

But an announcement by the Court today puts things on hold as court officials laid out eight questions they say they will answer when the body rules on the election result, including whether the commission’s website was hacked and whether polling stations returns were interfered with. A verdict is expected on Monday.

The poll, which saw Deputy President William Ruto declared President-elect according to a slim and disputed majority, pitted him against former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

The results were challenged by Odinga himself, who alleges voting illegalities and irregularities, as well as by a number of political coalitions and groups.

Speaking on the eve of the scheduled presidential swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Odinga continued to contest his loss but promised to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court.

Calls for calm

Religious leaders in Kenya are calling for calm, in a statement released on Monday backed by the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches of Kenya, the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, the Hindu Council of Kenya, the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, and the Organization of African Instituted Churches.

The religious leaders urge citizens of the East African nation to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court as a win for Kenya. They commend Kenyans for keeping calm during the electoral process and express optimism that the truth will prevail during the proceedings of the case.

The political uncertainty over Kenya’s fourth consecutive disputed presidential election outcome has shattered hopes of breaking a cycle of divisive polls that have led to deadly violence in past elections.