Supreme Court cancels Kenya election, orders fresh polls in 60 days

Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month as unconstitutional and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.

The decision by the Supreme Court now hands renewed hope to Odinga who accused the ruling party of a “computer-generated presidency”, claiming that the election results were hacked and rigged in favour of Kenyatta.

Two weeks ago, Odinga made good his threat to contest the re-election of Kenyatta at the last polls when his lawyers filed a petition with the Supreme Court.

Odinga and his running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka who moments after filling the petition, both said in a statement that they were seeking redress at the high court because of alleged irregularities in the August 8 presidential vote, now both have their wish to contest favorably with Kenyatta.

Meanwhile Kenyatta, says he disagrees with the decision of the Supreme Court to nullify the elections.

He says however, that he would respect the decision and urged citizens to do the same.

“The court has made its decision. We respect it. We don’t agree with it. And again, I say peace … peace, peace, peace,” he said in a televised address. “That is the nature of democracy”.

No presidential election in the East African economic hub has ever been nullified. Opposition members danced in the streets, marveling at the setback for Kenyatta, the son of the country's first president, in the long rivalry between Kenya's leading political families.

"It's a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa," said opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who had challenged the vote. "For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling."

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favor of the petition filed by Odinga. He claimed the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta, who had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote.

"A declaration is hereby issued that the presidential election held on Aug. 8 was not conducted in accordance to the constitution and applicable law, rendering the results invalid, null and void," Chief Justice David Maraga said.