Stop lecturing the judiciary on what it should do, Ruto scoffs at Raila
President-elect Dr William Ruto has broken his silence regarding the petition which has been filed at the Supreme Court by Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition seeking nullification of his presidential win.
Speaking on Friday at his home in Karen, Dr Ruto urged the petitioners to be patient and await for the court’s verdict, saying no one should lecture the judiciary about its duties.
“Allow the judicial system in Kenya to make a determination of the issues that you have taken to court. There is no need for anybody to lecture the judiciary on what to do. The judiciary is an independent arm of government,” Dr Ruto said.
He added that the judiciary has the capacity and all it takes to make a determination regarding the issues raised.
“We are not building this country around personalities, we are building this country around institutions… we must respect institutions, and we must build institutions,” he said.
His remarks come days after the Azimio presidential candidate Mr Raila Odinga said he and his running mate Ms Martha Karua should be declared the winners in the event that the Supreme Court nullifies the results of the presidential election.
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While speaking in Mombasa during a campaign rally, Mr Odinga said the evidence they tabled in court would unravel the high level of vote rigging that denied him victory.
On the other hand, Dr Ruto said Mr Odinga is among the people who advocated for changes in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as currently composed.
“Our competitors destroyed the Kivuitu commission, they destroyed the Hassan commission, and they are now on a mission to destroy the Chebukati commission. We want to tell them it is not right, and we will not allow them because for us to live in a secure predictable democratic society, we must build our institutions so that the rule of law overrides the rule of men,” Dr Ruto said.
According to Azimio la Umoja, the IEBC Chairperson Wafaul Chebukati announced results that had not been verified by all the seven commissioners, which is unconstitutional.
Mr Odinga has further said Mr Chebukati should also allow his Vice Chairperson Juliana Cherera to preside over the gubernatorial elections in Mombasa and Kakamega slated for Monday, August 29.
But in his Mr Chebukati faulted Mr Odinga for misleading the country, saying the Returning Officers will be the ones in charge of the delayed elections in the two counties.