CJ warns on discussing poll petitions

NAIROBI, Kenya, – The President of Kenya's Supreme Court, Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, has warned parties involved in presidential petitions against discussing the cases outside of the court.During the mention of the cases on Wednesday morning, Mutunga directed advocates representing the parties to advise their clients on the upshot of breaching the directive.

"The court is now fully seized of the petitions challenging the presidential elections. Towards this end, petitioners, their agents and supporters or advisors are directed to desist from prosecuting the merits of their case from any other forum other than this court," Justice Mutunga said.

"It is the responsibility of the advocates to advise their clients in these cases about the consequences of conduct or statement that can undermine the authority of this court."

He also called on other Kenyans, including the media and bloggers to refrain from irresponsible utterances likely to affect the progression and outcome of the cases.

Mutunga, who confirmed that the Supreme Court had received three petitions, said the court was ready to hear and determine the cases.

In recognition of the massive interest and anxiety across and outside the country, the Chief Justice pledged that the court would be impartial and make its decision guided by the Constitution and "in the interest of justice."

"Three petitions challenging the validity of the just concluded presidential election have been filed. The petitions have, not surprisingly, elicited immense public interest and generated endless media coverage on commentary. The court is ready and prepared to hear and determine the petitions," he asserted.

On Tuesday, outgoing Prime Minister Raila Odinga and President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta were involved in an exchange over the matter, with Odinga insisting that he would not stop talking about the matter.

Odinga who had on Monday claimed that he won the March 4 election by 5.7 million votes against Kenyatta's 4.7 million votes said the case was of political in nature and that he was free to comment on it.

"My brother Uhuru Kenyatta has challenged me not to politicise the petition but of course I am not politicising the case because we are talking about a political office that is under dispute," the PM said.

Speaking after touring Kenya Ports Authority facilities in Mombasa earlier on Tuesday, Kenyatta had said the Prime Minister's remarks on the issue were ill-timed because he has already filed a case in court.

"People need to respect courts and stop talking on issues which are before courts," said Kenyatta.
The CJ said that a checklist of all documents and relevant matter to the petitions will be prepared and issued to the parties who in turn are required to file their responses by Saturday.

A pre-trial conference for the petition challenging the election of Uhuru Kenyatta as president is set to be held on Monday next week where other issues pertinent to the petition are expected to be addressed.

Following concerns by lawyer Haron Ndubi representing the African Centre for Open Governance (AFRICOG), about the limited space in the courtroom, the CJ confirmed that the bench was in consultation with the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary to address the concerns.

He said that the decision to find a more spacious room for the hearings will be arrived at following consideration of factors such as security and the live broadcast of events in the courtroom.

Petitions against the presidential election have been filed by the PM Odinga and AFRICOG, while a third, seeking an interpretation on the validity of rejected votes in determining the final tally has been filed by voters Dennis Itumbi, Moses Kuria and Florence Sergon.


CJ warns on discussing poll petitions | Capital News

Raila won't shut up, isn't? or the guy is already given murungura for silencing someone.

The three petitions challenging the outcome of the March 4 presidential elections have been mentioned this morning at the Supreme Court.

A six-judge bench led by Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has given its directions to the advocates representing petitioners and respondents in the cases.

According to the orders given today by the Chief Justice, petitioners and respondents have been told to desist from "prosecuting the merits of the cases in any forum other than the Supreme Court,"

Advocates have been directed to caution their clients against making any statements that undermine the courts in any way.
The Media has also been advised to cover the proceedings in a fair and impartial manner and adhere to the code of conduct for journalists.

The judges directed that any response to the petitions must be filed by March 23.A checklist will be read out on the issues that should have been responded to during a status conference on the petition which is scheduled to take place from March 25 and March 26.

The court has 5 days to hear and determine the petition challenging the election of Uhuru Kenyatta as the President of Kenya. It can uphold Uhuru's victory, order a recount of presidential votes or direct that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct fresh elections.

Supreme Court issues directions on election petition | The Star

The Chief Justice was mostly,,,directing this warning to Raila Odinga and his group
for they are the ones who keeps repeating that they won,,saying that the IEBC
stole their votes and so on.

Last Sunday,,,the CORD,,in the presence of Raila himself,,was almost
threatening the CJ and almost directing that the he should rule the
case,in their favor.

Why should they behave like this,,,if,,truly,,they believe they won.

Remember, Raila Odinga used that platform of reform and democracy,
in his campaigns,,that he was the most qualified person to continue
on reform especially,, at this time that we have this new Katiba.

But we are wondering,,,how can this be,,,the same person who
talks of reforms be the same person who is going against the
same institutions that he claims that he wants to safeguard?

Is this not hypocrisy,,,what is the difference of that hyna in
a goat's skin.

Even after be warned to shut his mouth,,he goes ahead for
a planned public meetings in Nyanza and western.

What do any insane human being expect Raila to say in those
meetings???????????

He has always used the mobs to get into power,,as in 2007.

But now comes in,, the top Kenyan security organ advising
the out going PM,,,Raila Amolo Odinga against holding
any public meeting until his case lodged by him,,is
finalized.

They have directed him to cancel those meeting.

So it is a show down time,,,,if Raila Odinga goes ahead
and pretend to be a Kichwa Ngumu,,,he will come face
to face with the dreaded GSU's and will have himself
to blame if any of his blind disciples come to any danger.

Raila Odinga is,,even embarrassing his friends who cleverly
wanted to impose Raila Odinga,,on Kenyans.

They now see what the kind of a person he (Raila) is.

In 2007,,,as is coming out,,and very clearly,,,the same tactics he is
trying now,,,,completely forgetting that he has no Kibaki to shift
blames on,,claiming,,then,,that he stole,,elections.

At least,,he could have upgraded his evil tactics of his evil game.

Listen,,,him claiming that the IEBC stole elections,,,on whose
behalf,,,,Uhuru,,,so as to gain what,,,money,,,what we know
is that,,,this cannot happen at this time when we have so
many spotlights in this country.

Furthermore,,,the CEO of IEBC comes from his tribe,,,and that
these people's salaries is so fat and so,,,not beggars.

He cannot face defeat,,,,and wants some Kenyans to help
him,,once again,,,into,,sweet power.

After five years as one of those chief principles,,,can he
show Kenyans what he did with that power,,,what he
did,,not even to Kenyans,,but his poor constituents
in the Kibera slums,,,the biggest slum in Africa????

He cause mayhem in 2007,,,and after getting what he
wanted,,he settled down,,then,,even without a
human heart,,,supplied names of the same
people who helped him into power,,to the
ICC,,such as William Ruto,,cases which
are becoming an embarrassment to those so
called,,,ati,,international courts, his friends.

How can a person like Ruto or Uhuru be
connected to 2007 when we know very
well that they never ran for the presidency????

That is why,,we Kenyans,,6,000,000 defied the
so called international community,,defied
propaganda by Raila and that is why he
is down,,,,and he cannot face the reality.

Give it a little time,,,,everything is coming out
very clearly for those with eyes to see and
find out what,,really happened in 2007.

Raila Odinga was the main instigator of violence
where placards everywhere proclaimed,,,

NO RAILA,,NO PEACE.

Time when Raila fooled all the people,,all the time
has come to it's end and the end of Raila Odinga
is 2013.

I swear that there will be no elections for elections
was peacefully concluded and the winner declared
in daylight.

Let Raila create a country of his own and become
a president,,,for life na hakuna mtu atamsumbua.

For those poor souls deceiving ati,,,fresh elections,,
endeleeni na hizo,,,,ndoto,,,for it is your constitutional
rights to dream,,anything.

And,,if forced into another,,,we have a right,,on our
side to say,,,,we will not go for another one,,,because
we will be repeating the same elections with the same
IEBC,,for it cannot be disbanded,,,with the same Raila
whose Kamusi has no words like,,,,Kushindwa.

Why repeat the same thing,,,,like fools who doesn't
have anything to do??????????? I'm one of those,,,
6M of Kenyans and will rather go to the streets,
rather than on the ballot,,,kama mjinga.

Kwani..msione tumenyamaza mkafikiria tumelala,,,
cheti cha urais,,kwani kiko na nani,,,washeni nyinyi.

So if one wants for fresh elections,,,do it on your
own or go to hell.

Musitusumbue.

What is coming out,,, is that,,,the advice by the top security organs
for CORD not to hold public meetings,,has been heeded by cord,,,,,
tactfully,,,,,, saying that they were not going to hold any meetings
and that they had planned to do so but dropped the idea,,later (???).

This is good for this country,,,,the only language these people
understand is fire,,,kwani dawa ya moto ni moto.

But,,also,,the top Kenyan security organs has given warnings to
those mobs who has been surrounding the courts and making
life unbearable in the surroundings,,,,that they not,,any longer
be tolerated and,,,,,chuma chao kiko motoni.

Last time,,they caused havoc in the surroundings,,making
businesses had to operate,,some even stealing from unspecting
wanainchi in the name of democracy,,,until police intervened
and these cords mobs,,wakaonyeshwo kichapo na wengi
wakaenda nyumbani na majeraha.

You always get what you ask for,,,,but this time round,,
they have been forewarned,,,wasiseme hawakuambiwa.

Is this what was to become of a CORD government,,,,,