Nairobi — Azimio Deputy Party Leader Martha Karua has hinted that she is considering moving to the East Africa Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania, to find out whether the Supreme Court handled the 2022 presidential petition well.
The Azimio team had filed a petition at the apex court challenging the victory of President-Elect William Ruto but it was dismissed in its entirety on grounds that it lacked merit.
Karua, who committed to stand by the rule of law, mockingly stated, "I am looking for a hot-air balloon" to go to the Arusha-based court to find out if the Supreme Court delivered justice.
"The court ruled with finality, but that does not mean that we cannot go to another court to understand if our Supreme Court rendered justice," she said.
The Martha Koome-led bench, in its unanimous ruling, ruled that part of the evidence presented by the Azimio brigade was "hot air," setting the court on a wild goose chase.
The court dismissed all the nine issues they had structured in the consolidated petition, challenging the results.
Karua underscored that it is not about the election but "justice."
"I have presented my case to the Arusha court, and this time I will also go there to find out whether we got justice," she said.
The verdict dealt a significant blow to the Azimio team, whose leader Raila Odinga was hoping the judges would nullify the results of the August 9, 2022, hotly contested presidential election.
It was the fifth time unlucky for Odinga, who had run in the August 9 election with the backing of his former foe, the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta.
"We have always stood for the rule of law and the constitution. In this regard, we respect the court's opinion although we vehemently disagree with their decision today," he said in a statement after a unanimous decision by the court.
The verdict paved the way for the swearing-in ceremony of Ruto, who will take the oath of office as Kenya's fifth President on Tuesday at the Kasarani stadium.
President Kenyatta, who will hand over power to his deputy of 10 years, has also expressed his disappointments following the court verdict but vowed to hand over the instruments of power during the historic day "smiling."
