Category: Politics

One of Kenya’s Senior Counsel, James Orengo on Sunday called out the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing them of making a ‘political’ judgement, reports the Citizen.

He said last Monday’s ruling was not judicial, but “political and meant to serve a purpose that has nothing to do with the law.

Siaya Governor James Orengo is speaking about what he calls ‘shame’ on the Judiciary, following Monday’s ruling by the Supreme Court which upheld the election of William Ruto as president.

Senior Counsel Orengo, who was in the team representing Azimio La Umoja One Kenya presidential candidate Raila Odinga in the petition, on Sunday called out the seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice Martha Koome, accusing them of making a ‘political’ judgement.

“Chief Justice Koome you have brought shame to the Judiciary by rendering a judgement that in the eyes of the ordinary people who fought for you to make sure a Chief Justice can have independence,” Orengo lamented.

“You have brought shame to the people of the Republic of Kenya!”

The apex court unanimously upheld the election of President-elect William Ruto in the August 9 polls and shut down allegations by Azimio’s lawyers that Forms 34A on the IEBC server were tampered with by deported Venezuelan national Jose Camargo.

CJ Koome labelled the claims “no more than hot air” and singled out lawyer Julie Soweto.

The Chief Justice also pointed out that the logs presented by the petitioners were “outright forgeries”.

According to Orengo, however, Monday’s ruling was not judicial, but “political and meant to serve a purpose that has nothing to do with the law.”

“The person who wrote that judgement has done a great injustice to the rule of law. I respect the court, and I have practised law for a very long time. A lot of the judges in the Supreme Court are my juniors,” he said.

He especially took issue with the court’s choice of words in the ruling, terming it shameful.

“Judges speak in words that are measured so that even the loser in a court of law feels like justice has been done,” said Orengo.

“Not even a baraza presided by a Chief would use the kind of language that was used at the Supreme Court. Shame to you judges!”

He added: “But what gives me peace is that we are going to fight and fight until justice is done… We are not afraid to continue fighting… This is a battle we must win.”

Shortly after the ruling, Orengo came out to dismiss the verdict as “ideological”, noting that although he had accepted it, he did not agree with it.

“Courts sometimes make mistakes which should be corrected over time. Yes, we need to accept it as per the law of the land, but it is a very ideological definition,” Orengo said on Monday.

Most recently, Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua has said she is pondering taking her grievances to the East African Court of Justice, purely to seek further interpretation of the 7-judge bench’s ruling.

According to her, a lot of events surrounding the 2022 presidential election do not make sense to her, hence stating that she is yet to fully accept that they were actually beaten at the polls fair and square.

“Kwa vile korti ilisema tuko na hot air…hot air balloon inaweza nipeleka East Africa…I am actually considering whether to travel on a hot air balloon to the East African Court just to discuss that judgement. Hii si maono ya Azimio, now it’s me as a Kenyan because also I’m entitled, as an individual, so it’s something I’m considering,” the NARC Kenya Party leader said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Dr Ruto’s swearing-in ceremony will be held on Tuesday, September 13.

At least 20 Heads of State and government officials across Africa will also be expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony at the Moi International Sports Complex in Kasarani, Nairobi.