Kenya's top court upholds Kenyatta's presidency

By Andrew Wasike and Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Kenya's Supreme Court on Monday delivered a decisive verdict on the East African country's presidential elections saying that the Oct. 26 rerun was valid.

The ruling was made by Kenya's Chief Justice David Maraga who threw out two cases challenging Uhuru Kenyatta's victory.

"The court has unanimously ruled that the petitions are not merited. The presidential elections of 26th October is hereby upheld and so is the election of Uhuru Kenyatta," Maraga said.

This comes three months after Kenya's top court made history by annulling Kenyatta's victory which saw Kenya descend into post-election violence that has claimed the lives of more than 100 people and leaving many others injured.

The battle for the presidency in Kenya has always been a dynastic affair filled with tribal politics. In the Oct. 26 polls, Kenyans had the option to choose between Kenyatta, the son of Kenya’s first president and founding father Jomo Kenyatta, and Vice President Raila Odinga, the son of late Vice President Oginga Odinga.

Odinga boycotted the elections calling for changes to the country’s electoral commission leaving Kenyatta to run almost unopposed.