The Supreme Court is scheduled to make a ruling on the presidential petition on Monday, September 5.
The petition was filed by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party captain Raila Odinga on Monday, August 22, challenging the declaration of William Ruto as the fifth president-elect.
In what appears that the Supreme Court will uphold the election of William Ruto as the fifth president-elect, the US Embassy has warned its citizens against traveling to Kisumu, a county perceived to be Raila Odinga’s political bedrock.
In the advisory issued on Thursday, September 1, the Embassy stated that the region has severally experienced post-election violence occasioned by unfavorable outcomes, a clear indication that the Supreme Court verdict will not favor the former Prime Minister.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the US Embassy has imposed movement restrictions on US government personnel in Kisumu. The State Department reminds US Citizens of the continued need for sustained vigilance,” the advisory stated.
The Embassy noted that the advisory was informed by a previous pattern of protests that would break out in Kisumu after the presidential petition verdict.
“Election-related demonstrations and rallies regularly take place after elections, at times blocking key intersections and causing traffic jams,” it added.
Kivumbi.co.ke understands that the US issued a similar advisory in the build-up to the announcement of the presidential results in the just-ended General Election.
What followed thereafter saw the IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati declare William Ruto the presidential winner, much to the disappointment of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s handshake partner Raila Odinga.
According to the results announced by Chebukati, the UDA presidential flag bearer garnered 7.1 million votes against Raila Odinga’s 6.9 million votes.
Prior to the announcement, four IEBC commissioners had distanced themselves from Chebukati’s results terming them as “opaque.”
