HURIWA APPLAUDS KENYA'S SUPREME COURT OVER POLL'S ANNULMENT

A pro- democracy and Non-Governmental organisation- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has applauded the Kenyan Supreme Court for annuling the controversial Presidential election which saw the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta sweeping the results.

HURIWA in a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf said the landmark's legal decision by the Kenyan Supreme Court which is the first time a Presidential poll is to be cancelled based on a petition filed by an opposition candidate would provide the much needed reinvigoration of democracy and the supremacy of the Principle of Rule of law in a continent torn apart by the demolition of state institutions and the weakening of these democratic institutions by Presidents with the predatory Big man's tendencies.

The group said the scenario in Kenya is a fundamental departure from Rwanda whereby President Paul Kegame changed the rules at the middle of his last term in office to self perpetuate himself in power and has systematically destroyed the independence of the judiciary which is why opposition politics in Rwanda has withered away progressively.

HURIWA said the Kenyan example has demonstrated to the rest of the World that contrary to the pathetic experiences of such nations like Angola, Uganda, Togo, Burundi, Sudan whereby incumbent Presidents have muzzled democratic institutions, President Uhuru Kenyatta is poles apart from all other African politicians because he truly believes in the Supremacy of the Constitution and the judicial pronouncements.

HURIWA said:"What the Supreme Court in Kenya has done by the legal cancellation of the Presidential poll is that Africans who are still struggling to rescue their nations from the stranglehold of dictatorship of Africa's bigmen would borrow a leaf if they are able to grow the political will to assert their rights as persons who should be accorded the status of freed people born to one humanity with equality of freedoms under the platform of the Universal Declarations of HUMAN RIGHTS and the international covenants on human and people's Rights."

The Rights group further expressed joy and satisfaction with the ruling by the highest Judicial institution in Kenya saying:"We are encouraged and energized to begin to demand accountability, transparency and independence from the judiciary of Nigeria accused of serial betrayals and massive compromise."

"The Nigerian Judiciary especially at the apex of the Court system has over the years proved to be conservative and often willing to tag along with the powers that be at the center. The Nigerian Supreme Court has had opportunities in the past to display maturity and independence but on each of these occasions whereby election related cases at the levels of governorship and especially the Presidency have come to the Justices of the Supreme court of Nigeria they have always awarded unmerited victories to the incumbents. We hope that the Nigerian Supreme court will reassert her independence and render decisions in accordance with statutory provisions and not to consistently embrace technicalities to award pyrrhic victories to the African Big men".

HURIWA said the ruling in Kenya apart from assuaging frayed nerves and calming down and deescalating possible political tsunami and riots, has once more shown that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that Democracy is working in Africa just as the Rights group praised both the opposition and the incumbent President of Kenya for not doing anything to frustrate the dispensation of justice.

HURIWA recalled that Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday annulled the president's Aug. 8 reelection victory citing irregularities and ordered a new vote within 60 days.

The reversal of President Uhuru Kenyatta's 54 percent according to the Rights group is a sweet victory for all lovers of genuine democracy and good governance in Africa.

The Rights group recalled that the 4-2 court ruling came against the backdrop of a petition filed by challenger Raila Odinga, 72, who alleged widespread electoral fraud in the election, including the hacking of the electoral commission's computer system.

HURIWA praised the Supreme Court of Kenya for entertaining the election petition expeditiously and never allowed the incumbent to enjoy any undue privileges unlike what obtains in Nigeria whereby election petitions last almost the entire tenure whilst the contested winner is sworn in and continues to dip his hands into public purse to service his legalnfees elaborately and to bribe the presiding judges to curry favour. This speed of the litigation in Kenya is indeed a landmark achievement that should be emulated by all African Courts.