Lawyers IEBC, Raila, Ruto Are Relying On In Supreme Court Battle

Some of the lawyers have represented in past cases including the one on the Building Bridge Initiative (BBI) which was declared illegal by all three of the country's top courts.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Aug 21, 2022 - 12:22 Updated: Aug 21, 2022 - 19:53
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Lawyers IEBC, Raila, Ruto Are Relying On In Supreme Court Battle
A collage of Raila Odinga, Wafula Chebukati and William Ruto. /VIRALTEAKE

Both the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya coalition are expected to field their legal teams in contesting and affirming the presidential election results at the Supreme Court.

IEBC has settled on former Attorney General, Githu Muigai, to lead its legal team in seeking to prove that the presidential results announced by the chairperson, Wafula Chebukati, were the actual results and not according to claims that the process was marred by irregularities.

Other lawyers who are expected to work with Senior Counsel Muigai include Kamau Karori, Abdikadir Mohamed, Eric Gumbo, Wambua Kilonzo and Peter Wanyama.

The Supreme Court of Kenya. /FILE

George Murugu, Mahat Somane, Cyprian Wekesa and Edwin Mukele are also expected to collaborate with Muigai to dispute the election malpractice claims raised by the four IEBC commissioners and the Azimio coalition, thus the decision to declare William Ruto as president-elect was illegal.

Some of the lawyers have represented the commission in past cases including the one on the Building Bridge Initiative (BBI) which was declared illegal by all three of the country's top courts.

The Azimio coalition is yet to formally stage its petition at the apex court as it seeks to have Ruto's victory annulled. This is despite numerous hints and plans by its top brass that it has its petition prepared to file.

Ahead of the deadline of the petition, Raila has assembled a team of lawyers he is optimistic will successfully argue his case at the Supreme Court.

The team consists of accomplished legal minds, which is divided into senior counsels, experienced lawyers and other advocates skilled in drafting and coming up with legal arguments. Some of the lawyers appeared for him in his 2017 petition which ended in his favour.

Others had also appeared in the BBI case. Also in the team are lawyers who have previously appeared for President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Among them are Kiragu Kimani, Tom Macharia, Desterio Oyatsi, Waweru Gatonye and a host of others. Coordinating the team is Paul Mwangi, Raila's long-serving legal adviser.

Others likely to appear in the team are James Orengo, Millie Odhiambo, Otiende Amollo, Phillip Murgor, Pheroze Norwojee, Makueni Governor-elect Mutula Kilonzo and Dan Maanzo.

“We have sufficient evidence of massive rigging in the presidential election and we shall prove that in court,” said Lawyer Ndegwa Njiru, who said he is part of Azimio’s legal team.

A separate legal team is undertaking research and compiling data to form part of the evidence of the alleged electoral illegalities and irregularities.

While preparing for an epic legal showdown, Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance is said to have put together a team that will be led by President Kenyatta’s former lawyer Fred Ngatia and Ahmednasir Abdullahi—both senior counsels.

Other lawyers in the team include Adrian Kamotho, Elias Mutuma, Collins Kiprono and Emmanuel Kibet.

Anyone looking to file a petition at the Supreme Court seeking to invalidate Ruto's election has until 2 pm on Monday, August 22 to do so, failure to which plans to swear in the President-elect on Tuesday, August 30, will go on.