Kenya Court upholds Kenyatta poll win

Kenya's Supreme Court has upheld the result of the country's March 4 presidential poll, won by Uhuru Kenyatta, the country's chief justice has announced.

The six-member bench was hearing legal challenges to Kenyatta's win lodged by the opposition, led by Raila Odinga, the former prime minister who finished second in the poll.

The country's outgoing president called for calm ahead of the decision that confirmed the victory of Kenya's richest man Kenyatta, and precluded the possibility of a runoff vote. 

Defeated candidate Raila Odinga said the March 4 poll was marred by technical problems and widespread rigging. Both politicians have promised to abide by the court's final word.

"It is the decision that the third and fourth respondents were validly elected," Chief Justice Willy Mutunga said in court, referring to Kenyatta and his running mate and deputy president William Ruto.

The court said that the bench hearing the case was unanimous in its decision to declare that the elections had been conducted in a "free, fair, transparent and credible" manner.

Saturday's verdict - following a drawn-out court case - means that Kenyatta will be sworn in as president early next month.

He will become the second sitting president in Africa to face charges at the International Criminal court. He and Deputy President-elect Ruto both face charges related to post-election violence in 2007 and 2008. Both deny the charges.

Ruto's trial is due to begin in late May, and Kenyatta's in July. The president-elect has pledged that he will face the charges at The Hague.

Source: Aljazeera (30/03/2013): http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/03/201333014952119486.html