President William Ruto has responded to numerous petitions in various courts to remove him from office.
Speaking during a Town Hall session in Mombasa on Sunday, July 28, 2024, President Ruto indicated that he is aware that 14 Kenyans have filed petitions seeking to eject him from office.
However, he noted that 14 are free to exercise their democratic rights enshrined in the constitution.
“The 14 Kenyans who have gone to court are exercising their democratic right. That is how free this country is. You can actually go to any court and demand what you want; that is a taste of the freedom that I stand for in Kenya.
“I want to promise that those Kenyans who have gone to court for whatever reason are free to do it, and the courts are free to make whatever decision that is constitutional,” Ruto stated.
The Head of State further made it clear that the courts are free to make a proper determination on the petitions seeking his ouster.
The petition
Ruto’s response came after 14 petitioners moved at the High Court in Nairobi seeking orders to pave the way for a referendum to oust him and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua from office.
In their case, the 14 petitioners argued that President Ruto and his deputy had violated the constitution by allowing extrajudicial killings of the anti-government protesters by police officers.
“In a constitutional democracy, there can be no justification for the President to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to prevent unarmed citizens,” the petitioners argued.
“This petition seeks judicial intervention to prevent the current socio-political crisis from spiralling out of control and to preserve the constitutional order.”
According to the petitioners, the underdressed economic crisis witnessed in the country in the aftermath of the Finance Bill withdrawal could easily trigger and expedite Kenya’s descent into a Sri Lankan, Lebanese or Sudanese-type of State collapse.
Ruto further defends his administration
At the same time, Ruto affirmed that he is a firm believer of the constitution and the law. He noted that he had the powers to even shut down the internet during the protests but he chose to respect the rule of law and Kenyans.
“I believe in the rule of law and freedom of the media. That is what democracy is about,” Ruto stated.