Siaya Governor James Orengo has accused Chief Justice Martha Koome and the other six Supreme Court judges of shaming the judiciary with their judgment on the election petition.

Orengo, who spoke for the first time since the September 5 decision, described the judgment as shameful, unconvincing and only meant to serve a political purpose.

The lawyer, who acted for Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the poll petition, termed the decision an embarrassment to those who fought for judicial independence.

Supreme Court judges. PHOTO/JUDICIARY 

Speaking at the burial of Gem MP Elisha Odhiambo’s sister in Mutumbu Village, Gem constituency, Orengo termed the judgment read by Koome as shameful and disappointing.

“We thought that after the former Chief Justice David Maraga had retired, we would have judges standing for the rule of law. The Chief Justice has brought shame to the Judiciary,” Orengo said.


“The people fought for the independence of the judiciary and Raila Odinga was jailed for years fighting for judicial reforms. Instead the seven judges brought shame by watering down all the efforts of the patriotic Kenyans,” he added angrily.

He insisted that unanimous judgment by the seven Supreme Court judges that confirmed William Ruto as President-Elect was not a judicial one but mean to serve a political purpose.

“The judgment that they rendered was not was not a judicial judgment because the literature contained in it was not judicial. It was meant to serve a political purpose that had nothing to do with the law. When reading a judgment judges use words that are measured so that even the losers in a court of law feel that justice has been done. Like in a football match, if the referee is fair, the competing sides will congratulate each other and shake hands. That’s how courts are supposed to work,” Orengo avered.


Orengo further faulted the harsh language used by the judges in their decision terming it unfortunate and claiming to know the identity of the author of the judgment.

This comes a day after Azimio la Umoja presidential running mate Martha Karua revealed that she was mulling seeking a review of the judgment at the East African Court of Justice.