Martha Karua: William Ruto Isn't My President, I Don't Believe In The Process

• Martha Karua still holds her reservations about President William Ruto's administration, which she says was illegally installed
• According to her, the Supreme Court bench was mistaken to rule in Ruto's favour during the presidential election petition, considering a majority of the IEBC commissioners disowned the election results
• As a result, the former Azimio la Umoja deputy presidential candidate does not recognise Ruto as president

Eli Odaga, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Narc Kenya leader Martha Karua still holds President William Ruto is in office illegitimately.

According to her, the process through which Ruto ascended to power was flawed and thus dented the legitimacy of his tenure.

Karua: Why Ruto is not my president

She was speaking to Citizen TV on the evening of Thursday, December 28.

According to her, the Supreme Court was mistaken to rule in favour of Ruto in the presidential election petition, yet the majority of the commissioners in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) had disowned the results declared by then-chair Wafula Chebukati.

"At least I have the freedom to say he is not my president," said Karua.

She suggested that the Martha Koome-led bench at the country's apex court okayed illegality by throwing out the issues raised by the dissenting commissioners in the elections management body.

Karua argued that the court ought to have ordered a relook into the servers or retallying, considering the grave matters pointed out by the IEBC dissenters.

Going on to bless the contested results was irrational as it would suggest the minority could outrule those in the majority, she said.

Four out of the seven commissioners distanced themselves from the official results proclaimed by Chebukati.

"I reckon he is in office; however, he got there. I don’t believe in the process that gave him because it was flawed. The court found that three is a majority in a panel of seven. Even without saying so, if four commissioners say they cannot vouch for that and the court trashes them, it basically legitimising that three can overrule four in a panel," she said.

Video; courtesy

Karua vied for the presidency second to the former prime minister Raila Odinga on the Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party ticket in 2022.

Why Ruto's win was challenged

They disputed Ruto's assumption of the presidency, labelling him an illegitimate president.

According to Raila, Ruto was rigged into office by the elections management body under Chebukati.

Ruto was declared the winner of the 2022 presidential vote after garnering over 7.1 million votes, beating Raila, who trailed in second place with upward of 6.9 million votes.

The Azimio duo's effort to challenge Ruto's win in the Supreme Court proved futile.

This was after the jury, steered by Koome, threw out the petition upholding the president's victory.

That would be Raila's fifth failed attempt at the presidency, after the others in 2017, 2013, 2007, and 1997.

Karua would have made history as the first woman in Kenya's history to be at the helm of the country's leadership as a deputy president.

While picking her as his running mate, Raila cited the former justice minister's experience in politics and public service as the reason she was the best fit for the position.

"Following intense consultations, we have decided that the holder of this office of the Deputy President has to be a woman. I have picked as my running mate and minister for Constitutional Affairs, Martha Wangari Karua," Raila said in May 2022.

Raila: Why I chose Karua for DP post

In his speech, the ODM boss took Kenyans through Karua's journey from her days as a young lawyer to the accomplished politician she had become.

"She's a fighter, not a quitter. She has a beautiful soul as exhibited by her love and passion for her children and grandchildren. As a core worker, I want her to finalise the work of making our constitution once and for all. She has the right pair of hands to accomplish this work," he said.

In her acceptance speech, Karua said she was ready to fight and warmly thanked Raila for the position.

"I am deeply honoured by the decision to nominate me as the Deputy Presidential candidate for Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya coalition party. I stand before you fully aware of the implications and symbolism of this moment," she said.