Senior Counsel James Orengo has issued his submission at the Supreme Court during the ongoing presidential election petition that was filed by the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga and his running mate Martha Karua.

Raila and Karua’s petition challenged the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati’s declaration that announced President-elect William Ruto as the winner of the recent election.

Orengo, while representing Raila and Karua in the petition questioned the integrity of the (IEBC, especially when clear cracks have emerged and played before the public. 

 “We have something that has never happened in this country, we have a commission that is divided right in the middle, an electoral commission that can not be able to preside over an election,” Orengo said.

Orengo was referring to the four dissenting IEBC Commissioners led by Vice Chair Juliana Cherera, Justus Nyangaya, Irene Masit, and Francis Wanderi, who have since disassociated themselves from the results that their boss announced.

Read More

  1. 'Adani is a credible partner': Raila Odinga defends Indian investor amid controversy
  2. Tuju pains as court clears way for auction of Karen property over Sh4.5 billion debt
  3. Senator Orwoba's call for stricter X regulation sparks outrage in Kenya

According to Orengo the number of voters who turned out to vote remains indeterminate and the second respondent, IEBC chairperson Wafula Chebukati, has been issuing contradictory figures on the voter turnout.

“The second respondent in the declared results garnered 7,176,141 votes. The second respondent has been issuing contradictory figures on the voter turnout,” the senior counsel said.

Orengo argued that the IEBC did not preside over the election as required by the Constitution.

"The electoral commission, just like they did in 2017 did not preside over an election that was in accord with the requirement of the Constitution as laid out in Article 81," he said