Mutunga: How 2013 Presidential Election Petition Nearly Crushed My Nephew’s Marriage

Former Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has narrated how the verdict on the 2013 presidential election petition nearly crushed his nephew’s marriage.

As Supreme Court judges read their decision on the petition filed by ODM leader Raila Odinga, Mutunga’s nephew and his family were meeting the family of his wife-to-be to discuss dowry and wedding plans. 
 
“…my nephew and my family were meeting somewhere in Muthaiga. My nephew was going to get married – and he did – to a girl from Mukurweini. The two families were in Muthaiga discussing dowry and the wedding arrangements,” said Mutunga.

Mutunga, who was then the Chief Justice and president of the Supreme Court, said the two families had to stop the meeting to listen to the verdict. 

“The moment we decided in favor of Jubilee, the Mukurweini people started singing their songs and dancing while the Kambas became very upset with me and my family. I think some people said rude things about me. The meeting almost collapsed the relationship,” he told Sunday Nation in an interview.

Mutunga said the families were able to address the disagreement almost two months later, and the wedding eventually took place. 

“I was invited to talk to the people in the church… I gave them a lecture and said, ‘You are the people who are ruining this country.” These kids fell in love, you were not there when it happened and you are talking about dowry and marriage. And then their petition almost rocks their relationship and marriage’,” he recounted.

Odinga filed the petition after IEBC declared Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of the presidential election with 50.5 percent of the votes.

The Supreme Court ruled that the elections were conducted in compliance with the Constitution and the law and that Kenyatta was validly elected. 

“Justice is difficult. Even your own relatives start thinking you were bribed,” Mutunga said.