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Monday, September 5, 2022

President-elect William Ruto to be sworn in next week

Eric September 05, 2022 0

President-elect William Ruto will be sworn in on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.

This is after the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition by his competitor Raila Odinga, ruling that Dr.Ruto was duly elected in the August 9 General Election.

According to article 141 of the Constitution the date on which the court renders a decision declaring the election to be valid, is the first Tuesday following seven days after the court gives its verdict.

The swearing in of president-elect William Ruto will take place on Tuesday, September 13 with the Assumption of the Office of President Committee expected to announce the swearing in venue.

The President-elect then assumes office by taking and subscribing the oath of allegiance, and the oath for the execution of the functions of office.

During the ceremony, the President-elect shall be sworn in publicly before the Chief Justice or the Deputy Chief Justice if the CJ is absent.

Upon taking the oath, the President shall sign a certificate of inauguration and the outgoing President shall hand over to the President the instruments of power and authority: a sword and the Constitution.

Parliament shall by legislation provide for the procedure and ceremony for the swearing-in of a President-elect. Parliament was mandated to enact legislation to provide for the procedure and ceremony for the swearing-in of a President-elect.

Supreme Court unanimously upholds William Ruto's victory

Politics

Eric September 05, 2022 0

The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the election of President-elect William Ruto in last month’s presidential vote, paving the way for him to be sworn in next week on Tuesday.

In a lengthy verdict delivered on behalf of the 7 Judge bench by the Chief Justice Martha Koome said"This is a unanimous decision of the court and we make the following orders; The presidential election petition number E005 of 2022 as consolidated with presidential election petition numbers E001, 2, 3,4,7 and 8 of 2022 are hereby dismissed."

"As a consequence, we declare the election of the first respondent as President-elect to be valid under Article 143 of the Constitution. This being a matter cutting across the public interest, we order that each party bear their own cost. It is so ordered."

The electoral body chairman Wafula Chebukati, on August 15, 2022, declared William Ruto the winner after garnering 7,176,141 votes, representing 50.49 per cent of the total votes cast.

His main challenger Raila Odinga of the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition party got 6,942,930 votes representing 48 per cent of the votes cast.

While delivering the abridged version of the judgement, Chief Justice Martha Koome who promised to avail the full judgment in 21 days said the petitioners failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that there was electoral malpractice to warrant nullification of Ruto's elections victory.

"It is our finding that the declared President-Elect attained 50% +1 of all the votes cast in accordance with article 138.4 of the constitution," she ruled.

The apex court also dismissed all of the nine petitions that had been lodged before it to prove the exercise wasn't free and fair.