Raila Odinga, the candidate defeated yesterday in Kenya's presidential election, has decided to challenge in the Supreme Court the victory of his opponent, Vice President William Ruto, as announced by the Independent Electoral Commission IEBC on Tuesday 15 August.

At a press conference in Nairobi, Odinga stated that the results announced by the IEBC were wrong and must be annulled, and that its chairman Wafula Chebukati's decision to announce them, despite the opposition of four members of his commission, was arbitrary and 'dictatorial'. At the same time, Odinga urged his supporters to remain calm, not to take justice into their own hands and wait for justice to take its course.
'The point of view of the Azimio La Umoja coalition is clear,' Odinga said, 'the figures proclaimed by Wafula Chebukati are inconsistent and must be overturned by a court of law. In our view, there is neither a legally and validly declared winner nor an elected president. The law does not give the president the powers of a dictator to unilaterally rule the IEBC. Decisions must be made by consensus or by majority vote."
The reference by the opposition leader, who would cash in on his fifth consecutive defeat, is to the statement by the IEBC vice-chairwoman and three other commission members who dissociated themselves from Chebukati's decision to announce Ruto as president.

"We will pursue all constitutional and legal options available to us. We will do so because we see the many flaws in the elections and the mistakes made by the IEBC as fatal to the entire process."
Finally, Odinga dwelt on the possible national security implications that this statement of his could cause.

"I want to commend our supporters for maintaining calm and peace and I urge them to continue to do so. Let no one take the law into their own hands. Justice will prevail," he said.

Tomorrow Odinga will meet with all his allies and decide how to act civilly.