Raila blasts judges over petition ruling
Opposition leader Raila Odinga yesterday rebuked the Judiciary as he expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court’s judgment on his presidential petition terming it “judicial thuggery.”
The Azimio-One Kenya presidential candidate also threatened to lead a “one million march” to the Judiciary to protest its ruling on the petition.
He chided the judges for what he termed as an unfair ruling on his presidential petition a week ago.
“We can lead a one million march to the Judiciary and tell them to go home and they will have no choice. So the Judiciary should not threaten people after the mess that they have done. We respect their verdict but we don’t agree. And it’s our constitutional right to say this ruling was not based on any law. It was judicial thuggery and we are not going to accept this kind of things,” Raila said.
Hot air
The ODM party leader was speaking in Mombasa yesterday during a luncheon to celebrate the inauguration of the new Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir.
“I have seen them protesting and trying to give threats. We will talk. The Constitution of this country gives power to the people. If the Judiciary becomes rogue we have power as the people of Kenya to reform it,” said Raila.
The Supreme Court judges led by Chief Justice Martha Koome dismissed some of the evidence in Raila’s a petition against William Ruto's election as “hot air”.
Raila hinted at a sustained plan to call for the reforms of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Judiciary.
“As the people of Kenya, we will not be cowed. Nyayo (second president Daniel arap Moi) tried and we resisted him. We will not allow the Judiciary to be a dictator in this country. We will protect our freedom as the people of Kenya so maybe it’s time we should review at our Constitution to look at what works and what does not work,” he said.
Voter apathy
Raila said there is need for reforms to rectify some of the issues in the Judiciary and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“A rogue IEBC is another institution that requires thorough reform,” he said.
Raila, who arrived from Zanzibar yesterday, said he sees no reason why Kenyans should vote in 2027 if what “we saw in the August election will be repeated.”
He said he had gone to vacation in Zanzibar with his wife and other members of his family following the Supreme Court ruling on his presidential petition.
“As you know, have been out of the country and gone to Spice Island of Zanzibar to recuperate. I took my wife, children and grandchildren to go and heal from the shock,” Raila said.
The ODM leader said the outcome of last month’s election would disillusion too many Kenyans who would be reluctant to vote in future elections.
“Why should women, the elderly, the disabled queue for so many hours to cast their votes when at the end of the day, it’s Jose Camargo who should decide who will become the President of this country?” Raila asked.
Camargo is a Venezuelan who Azimio claim interfered in the election. The Supreme Court in its ruling said there was no evidence that foreigners hacked IEBC servers.
Raila said he and many other Kenyans are waiting with bated breath to hear what detailed reasoning the Supreme Court would give for its verdict on his presidential petition which it dismissed as baseless.
Azimio manifesto
“They said they are going to give us a detailed judgment report in about 21 days. We want to wait and see what these details are going to be about, but we as Azimio are shocked,” Raila said.
Raila said the Azimio had a good plan for the nation but victory was snatched from them.
He urged governors allied to the coalition to set a good example by implementing plans that they would have rolled out had they formed the government.
