I Don’t Regret Decision to Nullify Uhuru’s 2017 Victory, Chief Justice David Maraga Says

Chief Justice David Maraga says he does not regret the decision to nullify President Kenyatta’s victory in the August 8th, 2017 presidential election.

Maraga maintained the Supreme Court, which annulled the election on the grounds of irregularities and illegalities, made the right call based on the evidence presented.

He stated that he would not hesitate to issue a similar verdict if the same case was brought before him again. 

“Going by the experience we had in 2007/2008 (Post-Election Violence), and here we had a disputed Presidential election, the majority of the Supreme Court was very clear in their minds. We don’t want to return our country to the 2007/2008 experience,” Maraga explained in an interview with NTV on Sunday.

“I stand by that decision. If you bring it even 10 years after now I will still, on the evidence brought before us, come to the same conclusion,” he added.

Following the ruling, President Kenyatta vowed to ‘revisit’ the Judiciary and Maraga has some reasons to believe the threat was being implemented.

“I can’t say yes or no (on being revisited), but when you see a trend, it speaks on its own. A few things we have experienced leave me wondering whether this threat is being followed,” he said, citing the underfunding of the Judiciary, refusal to obey court orders, and attacks on judges. 

Maraga insisted his differences with President Kenyatta are not personal but rather ideological.

“These attacks are all meant to influence my decisions to make me change from my convictions. If anything, let me tell you that they emboldened me. Of course, at times I have been irritated about that. But I want to say this. I have actually enjoyed working as the chief justice of the Republic of Kenya,” he said.