Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on
Tuesday morning officially gazetted Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto as
President-elect and Deputy President-elect.
The Gazette Notice now allows petitioners to challenge
the win of Mr. Kenyatta and his Deputy during the October 26 fresh
presidential polls.
The Notice was signed by IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati.
According to the Law, petitioners are free to make a
petition to the Supreme Court within 7 days. If this happens, Kenyatta’s swearing-in
scheduled for November 14, 2017, will be postponed.
“A person may file a petition in the Supreme Court to
challenge the election of the President-elect within seven days after the date
of the declaration of the results of the presidential election,”the
Constitution reads.
The last day to file the petition will be November 7, 2017,
and the apex court will within 14 days hear and determine the petition and
its decision shall be final.
This will push the swearing-in ceremony and if Court rules
in favor of Mr. Kenyatta he will be sworn in on November 28, 2017.
However, if the Supreme Court judges rule in favor of the
petitioner and nullify Mr. Kenyatta’s win, then a fresh election shall be held
within sixty days. This is what happened after the August 8 General Election.
Mr. Kenyatta was declared the winner in the fresh
presidential election after garnering 7, 483, 895 votes while NASA leader Raila
Odinga who withdrew from the race got 73, 228 votes.
As per IEBC breakdown, the National voter turnout stood at
38.84%.
Millions of Kenyans however, boycotted the fresh
presidential election with 25 constitutes not voting at all.
