Kenya Becomes the First Country in Africa to Nullify Presidential Results
Kenya has officially entered the world history records by becoming the first country in Africa to nullify presidential results. Globally, it has become the fourth country to do so.
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This is why the ruling made by Chief Justice David Kenani Maraga has been touted as historic. CJ David Maraga has restored the confidence of Kenyan in the courts system. Until now, many Africans never thought it is possible to invalidate election results of incumbents.
Elsewhere, Austria, Ukraine and Maldives have in the past nullified presidential results. Austria is the most recent because it nullified presidential results in May 2016.
In 2004, Ukraine invalidated the election of Victor Yanukovych who had lost the race to Victor Yuchchenko immediately after losing the second round of elections. The elections was repeated and Yuchchenk won once again with a 52 per cent majority.
In 2010, Yanukovych won the presidency beating Yulia Tymoshenko who was the former Prime Minister. The loser challenged the results in court.
AUSTRIA
The Constitutional Court of Austria ordered a repeat poll after finding that electoral laws were not followed in 14 out of 117 admin districts. During that poll Alexander Van der Bellen defeated Norbert Hoffer. The vote was repeated on October 2016 but it never happened until December, 2016. Bellen again won the elections with 58.8 per cent.
MALDIVES
The Maldive Supreme Court invalidated election results in 2013. Abdulla Yameen had won against the incumbent President Mohamed Nasheed. The poll was repeated and similar results obtained as before.
KENYA
In Kenya, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee Party was declared winner of the polls with 54 percent of the total votes against the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s 44 percent. Raila and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka petition the Supreme Court of Kenya. On September 1st, 2017 the election results were nullified and fresh elections ordered within 60 days. This means that Kenya has to conduct elections by November latest.
