Azimio La Umoja One Kenya leader Raila Odinga has spoken publicly for the first time Thursday since the Supreme Court upheld the presidential election results, by lashing out at the verdict as unfair and a “mess”.
Speaking in Mombasa shortly after returning from a week-long vacation in Zanzibar, the Azimio chief blasted the country’s judicial system and the electoral body (IEBC), accusing them of sabotaging the people’s will during the polls.
He recalled the 5th of September ruling, in which a seven-judge bench dismissed all petitions challenging President William Ruto’s victory, claiming that some of the judges were compromised.
“Shame on the judiciary of this country. I see them protesting and trying to give threats…we will talk. The constitution of this country gives power to the people of Kenya and those exercising donated power and the judiciary is no exception,” he said.
“We can lead a one million match to the judiciary and say kwendeni nyumbani! It was judicial thuggery. We will not be cowed…we will not allow the judiciary to become a dictator in this country.”
Odinga went on to criticize the electoral commission’s handling of the August elections, saying Azimio, which is now the official opposition, would be adamant about streamlining the IEBC’s operations before the next elections.
He reiterated his previous statements that, while his flock respected the court ruling, they did not agree with it.
“We as Azimio are shocked… I am not talking about this as Raila Odinga, it does not have to be Raila Odinga…but my fear is that if what people saw happen on the 5th of September is what they expect in 2027, am wondering why people should wake up and go and vote?” He posed.
“The Supreme Court said they are going to give a detailed ruling within 28 days. We want to wait and see what the ruling is going to be about…” he stated.
Odinga reiterated his confidence that the August 9th election was rigged, saying, “Why should women, the elderly, and the disabled queue for so many hours to vote when, in the end, it is a mercenary from Venezuela, Jose Camargo, who ultimately decides who becomes the president?”
At the same time, he lauded new Mombasa Governor AbdulSwamad Nassir for winning despite’setbacks’ orchestrated by the IEBC to deny him victory.
“I want to Congratulate Nassir for convincingly winning the gubernatorial seat…as you know it was deliberately left behind here and Kakamega like our lawyers said in the court so that they could rig but the people have shown they are clearly Azimio,” Odinga noted.
The ODM leader said his vacation to Zanzibar helped him re-energize and provided an atmosphere for personal reflections in the company of his family.
“I went to recuperate in the Islands of Zanzibar. I took my wife, children, and grandchildren also to go and heal out of the shock that they got as a family. We came this morning …” Odinga explained.
