Kenya’s Supreme Court upholds presidential election result

Kenya’s Supreme Court judges led by Chief Justice Martha Koome flanked by her deputy, Philomena Mwilu and Supreme Court judge Mohammed Ibrahim attend the final hearing day over a petition seeking to invalidate the outcome of the recent presidential election, at the Supreme Court in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya’s Supreme Court on Monday upheld the August 9 election of William Ruto as president in a unanimous decision, Chief Justice Martha Koome said, throwing out a petition brought by opposition leader Raila Odinga.

“This is a unanimous decision of the court … this court upholds the election of the first respondent (William Ruto) as the president-elect,” Koome, the chief justice and head of the court, said during a televised ruling.

Ruto, 55, who has been serving as outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta’s deputy since 2013, takes the helm of a Western ally in an unstable region, which also hosts the regional headquarters of many global companies and organisations.

While generally stable, Kenya has seen repeated instances of election-related violence, often along ethnic lines.

Ruto will be sworn in as Kenya’s fifth president at a time when the East African nation faces several challenges including billions of dollars in loans and the soaring costs of basic commodities such as food and fuel.