The Supreme Court of Kenya announced on Tuesday August 30 that it had retained nine subjects to be examined in the appeals contesting the results of the presidential election of August 9, including suspicions of fraud and piracy which could cause the ballot to be annulled.
Vice-President William Ruto was declared the winner by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC), ahead of around 233,000 votes (50.49% against 48.85%) Raila Odinga, a historic figure of the 77-year-old opposition supported by the ruling party.
Interference in the transmission of results
Raila Odinga rejected these results, denouncing fraud, and filed an appeal with the Supreme Court.
Eight other appeals were filed by individuals and organizations, two of which were ultimately dismissed.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court said it would consider nine issues in merits hearings due to begin on Wednesday, ahead of its decision expected on September 5.
The seven judges will have to determine in particular if the server of the electoral commission has been hacked and if there has been interference in the electronic transmission of the results forms.
They also intend to assess whether the election technology met “
standards of integrity, verifiability, security and transparency
”.
Flaws in the electronic system had led to the cancellation by the Supreme Court of the last presidential election of August 2017 - a first in Africa - after an appeal by Raila Odinga.
Resolve their differences
After evaluating the transparency of the ballot, the court will determine whether William Ruto has reached the constitutional threshold of 50% plus one vote to be declared elected in the first round.
Since 2002, every presidential election in Kenya has been contested, sometimes resulting in bloody post-election violence.
The deadliest in 2007 killed more than 1,100 people.
Read alsoPresidential in Kenya: Raila Odinga filed an online appeal before the Supreme Court
During the election campaign, William Ruto and Raila Odinga pledged to resolve any disputes in court rather than on the street.
If the Supreme Court overturns the election, a new ballot must be held within 60 days.
If she confirms the results, William Ruto will become Kenya's fifth president since the country's independence in 1963.