That was reckless! NCIC accuses CJ MARTHA KOOME of almost burning the country with her comments like ‘hot air’ while ruling against RAILA – Look!

 Monday, December 19, 2022 – The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has blasted Chief Justice Martha Koome over her choice of words while delivering judgment in Raila Odinga’s presidential petition.

Speaking in Kakamega County at a forum reviewing the August 9, 2022, post-poll experience, the commission criticised the choice of words used in writing the judgment delivered by Supreme Court judges in the presidential election petition.

Referring to the Supreme Court judgment in a petition challenging President William Ruto’s win in the August General Election, Commissioner Philip Okundi said the NCIC was unhappy with the tone of the judgment.

He noted that the language used by judges when delivering rulings was not conflict-sensitive.

“Even though we cannot term those terminologies that were used by the judges as hate speech, the Commission got upset with the choice of words used in the ruling of the presidential poll petition and we have released a report explaining the same,” said Eng Okundi.

The Commission noted that despite Kenyans being tolerant and promoting peace during and after August 9, 2022, General Election, the Supreme Court almost plunged the country into turmoil because of the language used in writing the judgment in the presidential petition.

“In the build-up to the General Election, we created peace awareness by telling Kenyans to vote peacefully. They accepted our message and conducted the most peaceful election in our history. But the court almost messed up the country in its final verdict,” said Eng. Okundi.

In a report titled Elections Bila Noma 2022: The Kenyan Experience compiled by NCIC over the conduct of various players in the election exercise, the Commission regretted that some words that were used by the Supreme Court Judges almost caused trouble after a section of politicians got enraged with some of the terms uttered by the Supreme Court Judges when the Apex Court upheld William Ruto as the Fifth President following the August 9 election.

President Ruto of Kenya Kwanza won by garnering 7,176,141 votes (50.49 per cent), defeating Raila Odinga who was making his fifth bid to become the president. Mr. Odinga managed 6,942,930 votes (48.85 per cent)

Some of the terminologies NCIC takes issue with include when Chief Justice Martha Koome described the case made by Azimio la Umoja One Kenya as a ‘wild goose chase’ and ‘hot air.’