Newly elected Siaya governor James Orengo has lashed out at Chief Justice Martha Koome over her verdict on the 2022 presidential petition. Orengo termed the Supreme Court verdict as a shame on the Judiciary.
While speaking at a burial on Sunday, September 11, the governor, a close ally of Azimio leader Raila Odinga, claimed that the seven-judge bench made a political judgment at a time when the country needed an objective verdict.
The Senior Counsel, who led Odinga’s legal team during the presidential petition duel, also questioned the independence of the apex court in making the ruling.
Chief Justice Martha Koome delivering the judgement of the presidential election petition at the Supreme Court on Monday, September 5, 2022
“Chief Justice Koome you have brought shame to the Judiciary by rendering a judgment that in the eyes of the ordinary people who fought for you to make sure a Chief Justice can have independence. You have brought shame to the people of the Republic of Kenya!” he claimed.
The Siaya governor accused the apex court of a hidden vendetta in the ruling which unanimously disregarded all nine issues raised by the Azimio la Umoja’s legal team.
Orengo, a former Senator, and a veteran politician also questioned the choice of words in delivering the verdict- noting that it was unnecessary to use some of the remarks when making delivering such a ruling.
“The person who wrote that judgment has done a great injustice to the rule of law. I respect the court, and I have practiced law for a very long time. A lot of the judges in the Supreme Court are my juniors.”
“Judges speak in words that are measured so that even the loser in a court of law feels like justice has been done. Not even a baraza presided by a Chief would use the kind of language that was used at the Supreme Court. Shame to you judges!” he noted.
Orengo, however, affirmed that they would forge ahead and continue with the fight to ensure that justice is served.
“But what gives me peace is that we are going to fight and fight until justice is done… We are not afraid to continue fighting… This is a battle we must win.” Orengo added
The Supreme Court court has been under fire from the Azimio la Umoja coalition for unanimously throwing out all nine issues and subsequently terming some of the evidence presented as hot air and giving the justices a wild goose chase.
