CJ Koome Lands Blow To Wajackoyah In Presidential Petition
Wajackoyah had made his appearance at the Supreme Court for the first time in his decorated law career
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Roots Party leader, George Wajackoyah will not enjoin the presidential petition, according to Chief Justice (CJ) Martha Koome.
The Supreme Court president on Tuesday, August 30 ruled that the window for applications to join the proceedings was closed due to time constraints by the court given that it must give its verdict on the matter on Monday, September 5.
"We have a long journey ahead of us. We do not have a petition under 140 challenging the election of the president-elect. We also do not have an application seeking to join the proceedings," Justice Koome ruled.
Inside the Supreme Court of Kenya during the hearing of the presidential petitions on August 30, 2022. /ZAKHEEM RAJAN
“Unfortunately, you cannot make an oral application at this late stage."
Wajackoyah had made his appearance at the Supreme Court for the first time in his decorated law career but saw his speech cut short while he tried to speak at the pre-conference trial.
He was using his address to woo the judges to accept his application to be enjoined in the case, but it was to no avail.
Instead, Justice Isaac Lenaola cut him short by stating that the court had another matter to attend to at that time.
“Prof Wajackoyah please, we have an issue on the floor, would you wait until we address this issue then we can come back to you,” Justice Lenaola interrupted.
Wajackoyah was, nonetheless, given the opportunity to air out his grievances later into the proceedings while trying to enjoin the petition. He argued that his input in the case would prove valuable as he was one of the four presidential candidates.
"The ball of contention is I am a presidential candidate, what I want to pray is that I can also be enjoined to speak through my counsel.
"In the absence of the honourable Raila Odinga and Honorable Ruto (William), I think that I am the most aggrieved person here. You should take cognisance that I have run for elections in this country," he pleaded with the court.
Justice Mohammed Ibrahim, however, maintained that there was no room, nor time to accommodate more parties in the case. According to him, Wajackoyah ought to have filed his petition as a presidential candidate as provided for in Article 140 of the Constitution.
"I think one important thing must come out, that you were a presidential candidate. We give you all the accolades you deserve and Kenyans respect you too.
"However, if you are aggrieved you have a right under the law to file a petition challenging the validity. If you did not do that, you will have to bear the consequences," Justice Ibrahim remarked.
Speaking to Viral Tea, a highly placed source privy to the proceedings noted that Wajackoyah was to join in the petitions filed by Busia Senator-elect Okiya Omtatah and gospel singer, Reuben Kigame, who was vying for the presidency but did not make it to the ballot.
On Monday, August 22 during a K24 interview, Wajackoyah's running mate, Justina Wamae, made new bold claims that she had advised him against going to court to protest Ruto's victory given that they lacked the financial muscle during the process to build a strong case.
George Wajackoyah at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa on July 26, 2022. /NAIROBI NEWS
