Nairobi — President-Elect William Ruto has asked the Supreme Court to reject the temptation of setting a "dangerous trend" of nullifying presidential elections in the country once any aggrieved party files a petition.
The Supreme Court nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's victory in 2017 over irregularities and ordered a repeat poll after Raila Odinga challenged his victory. He has also petitioned Ruto's win following the August 9 presidential election.
Ruto, who is defending his August 9, 2022 victory at the apex court, submitted Thursday that nullifying an election again would be subjecting the country "to a very dangerous trend."
"In nullifying the election, we shall be acceding to a very dangerous trend in this country that presidential elections are to be held and if I am aggrieved not because of any error but I want to hold the country at ransom I will walk to the Supreme Court to have the election nullified," Ruto's lead counsel Fred Ngatia told the judges.
In his submission, Ruto reminded the seven judges that they have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the people's will.
"In the event, you nullify the election, you will effectively be rejecting the substantive truth that the majority of voters in this country expressed their free choice," Ngatia said.
He pleaded with the Chief Justice Martha Koome-led bench to end the culture of Kenya being in a prolonged election mode even after the election are concluded.
"We cannot afford to be in an election mode in perpetuity. It is time for finality and stability. In doing so, you will be sending yet another signal to the political class that the country does not belong to them it belongs to all of us," Ngatia said.
Ruto pleaded with the Court to uphold his win and affirm certainty by allowing Kenyans to go about their everyday lives.
Ruto had earlier challenged Odinga to table his figures backing his claim that he indeed won the August 9, 2022 election.
He explained that Odinga's petition lacked merit and that he had failed to provide substantive evidence to back his claims that the polls were rigged.
Hearings of the petition will conclude Friday midday for judges to retreat for a judgement due on September 5, 2022.
