The one thing Raila did wrong after Supreme Court ruling

In 2013, Raila Odinga contested and lost the presidential election for the third time.

Just like in the previous elections, he rejected the results in which Jubilee flag bearer Uhuru Kenyatta won. He claimed that his victory was stolen and filed a petition at the Supreme Court.

However, the Judges, in a unanimous decision, dismissed the petition. Following the development, Raila said he respects the Supreme Court decision but strongly disagrees with it. He criticised the judges claiming that the decision was not informed by the Constitution and applicable law.

He dismissed the Willy Mutunga led court as ‘Koti bandia’ (fake court). This prompted the former CJ to warn Raila against attacking and ridiculing the judges.

Given this background, allow me to now focus on the ongoing bare-knuckle attacks directed at President Kenyatta by NASA leaders.

It all started after the Supreme Court judges ruled in favour of a presidential petition filed by NASA presidential candidate Raila. By the majority of 4-2, the judges annulled the August 8 presidential election. In his first reaction, Kenyatta stated: “As Jubilee, we believe in the Constitution and rule of law. So, we respect this verdict but we disagree with it.”

A day later, the president criticised the Judges for overturning his victory and even referred to them as wakora (scoundrels). Contrary to claims by NASA, Kenyatta’s ‘unsavory remarks’ were not meant to target the communities that the judges hailed from.

Put yourself in Kenyatta’s shoes, would you have reacted differently? I have previously stated in this column that the president is human.

Hence Raila and the NASA team have no justification to fire salvos at Kenyatta for criticising the Supreme Court judgement since they too did the same in 2013.