The Supreme Court of Kenya has received an Award of Judicial Excellence from the African Bar Association for its exemplary handling of the 2022 election petitions.
In a statement on Thursday, September 4, the Judiciary revealed that the Supreme Court received the continental award for its handling of nine consolidated presidential election petitions in 2022.
While acknowledging the significance of the award, the Judiciary commended the seven Supreme Court judges and other judicial officers who contributed to the landmark ruling.
"The Supreme Court of Kenya graciously accepts the Award of Judicial Excellence from the African Bar Association for its exemplary handling of the nine (9) Presidential Election Petitions of 2022," the Judiciary wrote.
"This honour, received with humility, is a tribute to the people of Kenya and the dedication of all Judges, judicial officers, and staff who make justice possible," it added.
The Judiciary went ahead to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to advancing democracy, constitutionalism, and the rule of law in Kenya and on the continent.
In the ruling delivered on September 5, 2022, the Apex Court upheld William Ruto's presidency after Raila Odinga, the runner-up in the highly contested elections, filed petitions challenging the outcome.
Odinga submitted a petition in the Supreme Court contesting Ruto's win on the grounds of alleged rigging during the presidential elections conducted on August 8 of the same year.
According to the former Prime Minister, in affidavits submitted to the court, he alleged that polling station result forms had been tampered with, altering the overall outcome.
Raila's challenge was also based on the fact that four of the seven Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officers protested the presidential results announced by the Commission Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati.
During the ruling, the 7 Supreme Court judges unanimously upheld Ruto's presidential win, with Chief Justice Martha Koome dismissing the allegations as 'double hearsay' and one as no more than 'hot air' and 'wild goose chase.'
However, despite the ruling, CJ Koome called for reforms in the electoral commission, stating that the "boardroom rapture" among a section of the commissioners undermined public confidence.
