Kenya court sets world record

Sep 01, 2017

The nullification of Uhuru Kenyatta's win set a record for Kenya court. In recent history, only Austria court overturned a presidential election.

Until Friday, it has been rare to have incumbent's victory overturned. In 1997, former President Mwai Kibaki challenged the election of President Daniel Arap Moi in court and the case was thrown away by court simply because the former never served the latter with petition papers.

Even when Kibaki complained that  Moi was surrounded by security and his team had failed to serve him with the court papers the court could hear none of this.

In 2013, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga challenged President Uhuru Kenyatta's win at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld Uhuru's win despite the opposition presenting evidence indicating the elections had been rigged.

Other Presidential elections have been challenged in Uganda where Kizza Besigye sued the Electoral Commission and President Yoweri Museveni in 2001 and 2006. However, although the judges in both cases agreed there were irregularities in the conduct of the elections, they ruled that the irregularities did not affect the outcome in a substantial manner.

In 2016, former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi also sued  President Museveni and lost at Supreme Court.

In Zambia, opposition leader Mazoka sued President Mwanawasa and lost whilein Ghana, oppeosition leader Akufo-Addo sued President Mahama and lost.

In Gambia, the Supreme Court judges declined to rule in a case that was filed by former President Yahya Jammeh to overturn his defeat by Adama Barrow.

In 2000, the US Supreme Court declared former President Goerge Bush the winner, even when it was clear that there were election irregularities.

While in Austria, court overturned presidential election in the country after it was marked by a lot of irregularities.

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