Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption A Kenyan opposition stronghold celebrates the decision

Kenya's Supreme Court has annulled the result of last month's presidential election, citing irregularities, and ordered a new one within 60 days.

The election commission had declared incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta the winner by a margin of 1.4 million votes.

Raila Odinga, Mr Kenyatta's opponent, said the commission was "rotten" and demanded resignations and prosecutions.

President Kenyatta said he would respect the court's decision but also branded the judges "crooks".

Other elections in Africa have been annulled or cancelled but this appears to be the first time on the continent that an opposition court challenge against a presidential poll result has been successful.

Chief Justice David Maraga said the 8 August election had not been "conducted in accordance with the constitution" and declared it "invalid, null and void".

He said the verdict was backed by four of the six Supreme Court judges.

The announcement drew cheers from opposition supporters both inside and outside the courtroom.

The court ruling did not attribute any blame to President Kenyatta's party or campaign.

What did the judges say was wrong?

Justice Maraga said the election commission had failed "to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution".

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Justice Maraga declares the election "invalid, null and void"

He said the commission had committed irregularities "in the transmission of results", adding that the court would provide details in a full judgment within 21 days.

Dissenting judges said that the Nasa opposition alliance - which had petitioned the Supreme Court - failed to prove claims that the polls had been rigged.

The election sparked days of sporadic protests, in which at least 28 people were killed. The vote had raised fears of major political violence - as was the case after a disputed poll in 2007.

How have the two political sides reacted?

Mr Odinga, 72, said the ruling marked "a historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension for the people of the continent of Africa".

He said: "It is now clear that the entire [electoral commission] is rotten.

"It is clear that the real election results were never shared with Kenyans. Someone must take responsibility."

Image copyright AFP Image caption Raila Odinga (C) reacts with delight in the courtroom

Mr Odinga added: "We won the elections and we are going to win them again."

President Kenyatta, in a televised address, said that it was "important to respect the rule of law even if you disagree with the Supreme Court ruling".

He called for calm, saying: "Your neighbour will still be your neighbour, regardless of what has happened... My primary message today to every single Kenyan is peace. Let us be people of peace."

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Uhuru Kenyatta, in power since 2013, won a second term at last month's poll, which has now been declared invalid

Mr Kenyatta, 55, added: "We are ready to go back again to the people with the same agenda that we delivered to the people."

The president was more combative later at a rally of supporters in a market in Nairobi.

He referred to Justice Maraga and his fellow judges as wakora (crooks in Swahili), saying they had "decided to cancel the election". He warned the chief justice that as the poll had been annulled he was now the president again, not president-elect.

"Do you understand me? Maraga should know that he is now dealing with the serving president," Mr Kenyatta said.

"We are keeping a close eye on them. But let us deal with the election first. We are not afraid."

And the electoral commission?

Chairman Wafula Chebukati noted the ruling and said there would be "changes to personnel" ahead of the new election.

He invited the director of public prosecutions "to prosecute any of our staff that may have been involved in violations".

But he ruled out resigning, saying he had not been accused of wrongdoing.

What have the international monitors said?

After the election, international monitors from the EU, the African Union and the US had said there was no major fraud on polling day and urged Mr Odinga to concede.

On Friday, Marietje Schaake, the head of the EU Observer Mission, said the court ruling represented "a historic day for Kenya and we have always said that people who feel aggrieved should seek the path of the courts".

She said the monitors had at the time pointed to irregularities and encouraged the Kenyan authorities to deal with them.

Ms Schaake said the monitors were awaiting the full details of the ruling.

A huge victory for Odinga

Dickens Olewe, BBC News

Image copyright AFP

Raila Odinga will feel vindicated against accusations that he was just being a bad loser in challenging President Kenyatta's win.

However, this historic decision is a massive indictment of the electoral commission. It is therefore no surprise that the opposition Nasa coalition is now calling for a new team to manage the next elections.

This is also a setback for the international, and some local, election observers, who profusely praised the election as free, fair and credible.

People will be watching for the reaction of former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was the head of the mission for US NGO, the Carter Centre, whose positive assessment of the election was used in court.

Regardless of the winners and losers following the ruling, this is a proud moment for Kenya. The litigation and debate on the merits of the election was done at the Supreme Court and not on the streets.

Chief Justice Maraga said it best in his opening statement: "The greatness of a nation lies in its fidelity to the constitution and the strict adherence to the rule of law."</s>Four out of six judges upheld a petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who claimed the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta was fraudulent.

"The presidential election was not conducted in accordance with the constitution, rendering the declared results invalid null and void," Chief Justice David Maraga said, ordering fresh elections within 60 days.

The court agreed with opposition arguments that the electoral commission had committed irregularities that invalidated the poll.

Odinga was jubilant as he welcomed what he called a "precedent-setting ruling" by the court.

"This indeed is a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of the continent of Africa," he said. "We have no faith in the electoral commission as currently constituted. They have committed criminal acts. Most of them actually belong in jail and therefore we are going to ask prosecution for all the electoral commission officials who have committed this monstrous crime against the people of Kenya." He added: "This is a triumph for the people of Kenya." As news of the court's decision spread, cheers and celebrations could be heard on the streets in areas of the capital, Nairobi, where support for Odinga is strong. It's not yet clear if the ruling, which came as a surprise to many observers, will spark public protests. Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, flanked by his wife, speaks following the Electoral Commission's official announcement of the election results on August 11 in Nairobi. After Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of the country's founding President, was declared the winner last month by 54% to 45% for Odinga, violence erupted in some areas. Most of the demonstrators were supporters of Odinga, who had rejected the results and called the vote rigged. National election officials dismissed the accusations, however, saying the vote was free and credible. More than 400 international election monitors were also deployed across the country to monitor voting, the tallying process and the post-election period. Former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who served as an election observer for the Carter Center, said then that while there were "little aberrations here and there," the election was not rigged. Any unrest in Kenya could have ripple effects far beyond the nation of 47 million people. As the largest economy in East Africa, Kenya is a crucial trade route to the continent and provides an important buffer of stability in a region that includes the fledgling Somali government and the politically tense Sudan and South Sudan.</s>Kenya braced for further protests Friday as the Supreme Court was expected to rule on the opposition's challenge to last month's presidential election, with police deployed to sensitive areas of the capital, Nairobi.

Opposition candidate Raila Odinga claims that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who won a second term with 54 percent of the vote. Odinga also went to court to challenge Kenyatta's previous election win in 2013 but failed.

Security was tight around the courthouse with armed police and barricaded streets. Another round of protests was expected if the court upholds Kenyatta's victory. Human rights groups have said police killed at least 24 people in unrest that followed the Aug. 8 vote.

"This day is the D-day. We are going to know who is the president and we are very confident that the Supreme Court is going to give us our president," said one Nairobi resident, Felix Achieng.

Local newspaper headlines declared Friday a "Date With Destiny." Many shops in the capital remained closed.

Kenya's electoral commission has said there was a hacking attempt but it failed. International election observers have said they saw no interference with the vote.

Unease around the election rose when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote. But the unrest following last month's election was far calmer than the post-election violence a decade ago that left more than 1,000 people dead.

"We should be in peace and be calm for the judgment and we should love one another and should not cause confrontations and commotion inside the town," Nairobi resident Nicholas Anthony said.</s>Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month as unconstitutional and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.

No presidential election in the East African economic hub has ever been nullified. Opposition members danced in the streets, marveling at the setback for Kenyatta, the son of the country's first president, in the long rivalry between Kenya's leading political families.

"It's a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa," said opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who had challenged the vote. "For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling."

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favour of the petition filed by Odinga. He claimed the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favour of Kenyatta, who had won a second term with 54 per cent of the vote.

"A declaration is hereby issued that the presidential election held on Aug. 8 was not conducted in accordance to the constitution and applicable law, rendering the results invalid, null and void," Chief Justice David Maraga said.

The court did not place blame on Kenyatta or his party. It said the election commission "committed illegalities and irregularities ... in the transmission of results, substance of which will be given in the detailed judgment of the court" that will be published within 21 days.

The lead counsel for the president, Ahmednassir Abdulahi, told the court that the nullification was a "very political decision" but said they will live with the consequences.

Odinga's lawyer had asked the court to invalidate Kenyatta's win, saying a scrutiny of the forms used to tally the votes had anomalies that affected nearly 5 million votes.

Kenya's electoral commission had said there was a hacking attempt but it failed. International election observers, including former Secretary of State John Kerry, had said they saw no interference with the vote.

"Right or wrong, the Supreme Court has spoken. So what remains is a fresh opportunity for the people of Kenya, in exercise of their sovereign authority, to once again restate with clarity who they want as their president," electoral commission lawyer Paul Muite said.

Odinga, a longtime opposition candidate and the son of Kenya's first vice-president, had unsuccessfully challenged the results of the 2013 vote that Kenyatta won. Odinga's supporters at first had said they would not go to court this time but filed a petition two weeks ago.

Kenya had been braced for further protests Friday as the court prepared to rule on the opposition's challenge, with police deployed to sensitive areas of the capital, Nairobi, and streets near the court were barricaded. Human rights groups have said police killed at least 24 people in unrest that followed the Aug. 8 vote.

"Thank you, Jesus!" one woman shouted. "I'm telling, God is on our side."

"This has shown all (election) observers did not do their job. We want an apology," said John Wekesa, who was dancing outside the court.

Unease around the election rose when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote. But the unrest following the vote was far calmer than the post-election violence a decade ago that left more than 1,000 people dead.</s>A decision by Kenya's Supreme Court to annul the results of last month's presidential election was hailed Friday by analysts as "historic" and "an example for the rest of the world".

However, they warned that the 60 days within which a new election must be held will bring tension and anxiety, and the restraint of leaders and credibility of the new election will be paramount.

On Friday, Kenya's Supreme Court rendered a shock ruling cancelling the results of the August 8 election over widespread irregularities.

Chief Justice David Maraga said a majority decision by the panel of seven judges, with two dissenting, found that President Uhuru Kenyatta "was not validly elected", rendering the result "invalid, null and void".

Veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga and his National Super Alliance (NASA) had taken the case to court, claiming the system transmitting votes had been hacked, and that forms from polling stations that were meant to back up the electronic results were not being uploaded.

"It is a historic decision, the first of its kind in Africa," Murithi Mutiga, a Nairobi-based senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said.

Mutiga said the ruling "means Kenya, one of the most open societies in Africa, is gradually maturing as a democracy".

The "opposition can now go to court and expect to be served with justice", he added.

According to Nic Cheeseman, a professor in African politics at the University of Birmingham, many observers expected a "conservative" ruling -- similar to the decision in 2013 where Odinga took his grievances to court but eventually lost.

In a statement, Justus Nyang'aya, country director for Amnesty International Kenya, said the decision "demonstrates the independence of Kenya's judiciary and sets an example for the rest of the world".

But while the ruling "upholds the constitution" adopted in 2010, "it will put a lot of question marks on the international observers, who have massively said the election day went well," an African diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity.

In the majority decision, Maraga said the election commission (IEBC) had been responsible for "irregularities and illegalities" which "affected the integrity of the election".

But until the court's full ruling is released, it is unclear what the judgement is based on.

"They've made one of the most important decisions in Kenyan history," Cheeseman said, "and it's going to be 21 days before we find out why".

Analysts bemoaned the wait, adding that the court's final statement will likely influence the next vote and the people who will be in charge of carrying it out.

"The reason why this election was not well run was because the IEBC had so little time to run it," Cheeseman said, noting that new election commissioners were named a mere seven months before the August poll.

"And so now you have less time".

For his part, the anonymous African diplomat said Kenya could see a rush of other dissatisfied candidates who lost out in governor, senator or MP races turn to the court with election grievances following the ruling.

"A lot of people will be nervous," Cheeseman said. "Kenya just had a difficult and controversial election, and this decision pushes it right back into another electoral campaign, which will start almost immediately".

"The outcome of the next election may be controversial again".

This is why "the reaction of the political leaders will be extremely critical in the next two months," Mutiga said.

"There will be anxiety, there will be uncertainty, but political leaders need to show some maturity and make sure that they don't ruin what in my view is a remarkably important step for Kenya's democracy".

Mutiga added however that "restraint will be difficult in this very polarised environment" -- which was also stark before, during and after the August vote due to deep ethnic, economic and political divisions in Kenya.

On Friday, Amnesty International urged "all parties to comply with the judgement," calling "on the police to observe restraint in their handling of any celebrations or protests" that may follow.

The August 11 declaration of Kenyatta's victory with 54.27 percent of the vote -- with not all the tallying forms in -- sparked two days of protests in the slums of Nairobi and Kisumu, traditional opposition strongholds.

At least 21 people, including a baby and a nine-year-old girl, were killed, mostly by police, according to an AFP tally.</s>Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.

No Kenya presidential election has ever been nullified.

"It's a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa," said opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who had challenged the vote. "For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling."

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favor of the petition filed by Odinga. He has claimed that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta, who had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote.

"A declaration is hereby issued that the presidential election held on Aug. 8 was not conducted in accordance to the constitution and applicable law, rendering the results invalid, null and void," Chief Justice David Maraga said.

The court did not place any blame on Kenyatta or his party.

The lead counsel for the president, Ahmednassir Abdulahi, told the court that the nullification was a "very political decision" but said they will live with the consequences.

Odinga's lawyer had asked the court to invalidate Kenyatta's win, saying a scrutiny of the forms used to tally the votes had anomalies that affected nearly 5 million votes.

Kenya's electoral commission had said there was a hacking attempt but it failed. International election observers had said they saw no interference with the vote.

Odinga, a longtime opposition candidate and the son of Kenya's first vice president, had unsuccessfully challenged the results of the 2013 vote. His supporters at first had said they would not go to court again this time but filed a petition two weeks ago.

Kenya had been braced for further protests Friday as the court prepared to rule on the opposition's challenge, with police deployed to sensitive areas of the capital, Nairobi.

Security was tight around the courthouse with armed police and barricaded streets. Human rights groups have said police killed at least 24 people in unrest that followed the Aug. 8 vote.

"This day is the D-day. We are going to know who is the president and we are very confident that the Supreme Court is going to give us our president," said one Nairobi resident, Felix Achieng, ahead of the ruling.

Local newspaper headlines declared Friday a "Date With Destiny." Many shops in the capital remained closed.

Unease around the election rose when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote. But the unrest following last month's election was far calmer than the post-election violence a decade ago that left more than 1,000 people dead.</s>NAIROBI, Kenya | Kenya’s Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta’s election win last month as unconstitutional and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.

Kenyatta said he “personally disagrees” with the ruling but respects it, but he lashed out at the judges, saying that “six people have decided they will go against the will of the people.” He called for peace in a country where some elections have been followed by deadly violence.

No presidential election in the East African economic hub has ever been nullified. Opposition members danced in the streets, marveling at the setback for Kenyatta, the son of the country’s first president, in the long rivalry between Kenya’s leading political families.

A supporter of opposition leader Raila Odinga celebrates in front of a police barrier after hearing the verdict, on a street opposite the Supreme Court in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) Opposition leader Raila Odinga raises a fist as a sign of victory to his supporters as he leaves the Supreme Court in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) A supporter of opposition leader Raila Odinga celebrates after hearing the verdict in Kibera Slums in Nairobi, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga) Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta speaks to the nation in this image taken from TV, Friday Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters.(Kenya TV pool via AP) A young supporter of opposition leader Raila Odinga holds a poster as she celebrate after hearing the verdict in Kibera Slums in Nairobi, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga) Kenyan Supreme Court judges, from left to right, Njoki Ndung'u, Jackton Ojwang, Deputy Chief Justice Philomela Mwilu, Chief Justice David Maraga, Smokin Wanjala and Isaac Lenaola preside to deliver the election petition judgement, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. Kenya's Supreme Court has overturned President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election dismissing backing a petition by veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga who claimed votes had been manipulated to deny him victory. (AP Photo/Sayyid Abdul Azim) A supporter of opposition leader Raila Odinga celebrates after hearing the verdict in the Kibera Slums, in Nairobi, Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Kenya's Supreme Court on Friday nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days, shocking a country that had been braced for further protests by opposition supporters. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

“It’s a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa,” said opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who had challenged the vote. “For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling.”

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favor of the petition filed by Odinga. He claimed the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta, who had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote.

The court did not place blame on Kenyatta or his party. It said the election commission “committed illegalities and irregularities … in the transmission of results, substance of which will be given in the detailed judgment of the court” that will be published within 21 days.

Odinga’s lawyer had argued that a scrutiny of the forms used to tally the ballots had anomalies that affected nearly 5 million votes.

Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said Friday they will make personal changes before the new vote, and he invited the prosecution of any staffer found to be involved in malpractice.

Odinga called for the election commission to be disbanded.

The lead counsel for the president, Ahmednassir Abdulahi, told the court that the nullification was a “very political decision” but said they will live with the consequences.

International election observers, including former Secretary of State John Kerry, had said they saw no interference with the vote.

Two dozen countries including the United States, which already had congratulated Kenyatta on his victory, issued a joint statement Friday saying the court’s ruling “demonstrated Kenya’s resilient democracy and commitment to the rule of law.”

Odinga, a longtime opposition candidate and the son of Kenya’s first vice president, had unsuccessfully challenged the results of the 2013 vote that Kenyatta won. Odinga’s supporters at first had said they would not go to court this time but filed a petition two weeks ago.

Kenya had been braced for further protests as the court prepared to rule, with police deployed to sensitive areas of the capital, Nairobi, and streets near the court were barricaded. Human rights groups have said police killed at least 24 people in unrest that followed the Aug. 8 vote.

“Thank you, Jesus!” one woman shouted. “I’m telling, God is on our side.”

“This has shown all (election) observers did not do their job. We want an apology,” said John Wekesa, who was dancing outside the court.

Unease around the election rose when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote. But the unrest following the vote was far calmer than the post-election violence a decade ago that left more than 1,000 people dead.

“We are not at war with our brothers and sisters in the opposition because we are all Kenyans,” Kenyatta said on national television. But he added: “Five or six people cannot change the will of 45 million people.”</s>NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - The Latest on Kenya's presidential election court challenge (all times local):

Supporters of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga have exploded in celebration after the Supreme Court nullified last month's presidential election and called for a new vote within 60 days.

"Thank you, Jesus!" one woman shouted in the capital, Nairobi. "I'm telling, God is on our side."

Kenya had been braced for another round of protests by Odinga's supporters ahead of the court ruling Friday morning. The opposition had claimed the election results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga is calling the Supreme Court's nullification of last month's presidential election "a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa."

The court says the election was not conducted in accordance with the constitution and has called for a new vote within 60 days. Odinga has claimed the results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who had won a second term.

Odinga says the ruling sets a precedent for the African continent and he thanks the judges for acting "for posterity of Kenyans."

Lawyers for Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta are calling the Supreme Court's nullification of last month's election a "very political decision" but they say they will live with the consequences.

Lead counsel Ahmednassir Abdulahi spoke to the court after the six-judge panel ruled 4-2 in favor of the petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga. Odinga claimed that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta.

The court has called for new elections within 60 days.

Kenya's Supreme Court has nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's election win last month and called for new elections within 60 days.

The six-judge bench ruled 4-2 in favor of the petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga. He claimed that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta. The president had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote.

The court says the Aug. 8 election was not conducted with accordance with the constitution.

Odinga's lawyer had asked the court to invalidate Kenyatta's win, saying a scrutiny of the forms used to tally the votes had anomalies that affected nearly 5 million votes.

Kenya's Supreme Court has overturned the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta, citing irregularities in last month's election. The court has called for a new election within 60 days.

Opposition candidate Raila Odinga had claimed that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of Kenyatta, who won a second term with 54 percent of the vote.

Kenyans had been braced for another round of protests if the court upholds Kenyatta's victory.

Odinga had unsuccessfully challenged the results of the 2013 vote.

Kenya's Supreme Court is expected to rule shortly on the opposition's challenge to last month's presidential election.

Opposition candidate Raila Odinga claims that the electronic voting results were hacked into and manipulated in favor of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who won a second term.

Kenyans are braced for another round of protests if the court upholds Kenyatta's victory. Police are deployed in the capital. Human rights groups have said police killed at least 24 people in unrest that followed the Aug. 8 vote.

Kenya's electoral commission has said there was a hacking attempt but it failed. International election observers have said they saw no interference with the vote.

Unease around the election rose when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote.</s>Four out of six judges upheld a petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga, who claimed the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta was fraudulent.

"The presidential election was not conducted in accordance with the constitution, rendering the declared results invalid null and void," Chief Justice David Maraga said, ordering fresh elections within 60 days.

The court agreed with opposition arguments that the electoral commission had committed irregularities that invalidated the poll.

Odinga was jubilant as he welcomed what he called a "precedent-setting ruling" by the court.

"This indeed is a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of the continent of Africa," he said. "We have no faith in the electoral commission as currently constituted. They have committed criminal acts. Most of them actually belong in jail and therefore we are going to ask prosecution for all the electoral commission officials who have committed this monstrous crime against the people of Kenya." He added: "This is a triumph for the people of Kenya." As news of the court's decision spread, cheers and celebrations could be heard on the streets in areas of the capital, Nairobi, where support for Odinga is strong. It's not yet clear if the ruling, which came as a surprise to many observers, will spark public protests. Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, flanked by his wife, speaks following the Electoral Commission's official announcement of the election results on August 11 in Nairobi. After Kenyatta, the 55-year-old son of the country's founding President, was declared the winner last month by 54% to 45% for Odinga, violence erupted in some areas. Most of the demonstrators were supporters of Odinga, who had rejected the results and called the vote rigged. National election officials dismissed the accusations, however, saying the vote was free and credible. More than 400 international election monitors were also deployed across the country to monitor voting, the tallying process and the post-election period. Former US Secretary of State John Kerry, who served as an election observer for the Carter Center, said then that while there were "little aberrations here and there," the election was not rigged. Any unrest in Kenya could have ripple effects far beyond the nation of 47 million people. As the largest economy in East Africa, Kenya is a crucial trade route to the continent and provides an important buffer of stability in a region that includes the fledgling Somali government and the politically tense Sudan and South Sudan.</s>In an unprecedented judgment in the history of election in Africa, Kenya Supreme Court on Friday made history when it annulled the August 8, 2017 re-election of incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta over irregularities and violations of the provisions of the Kenya Constitution.

The country apex court in a split decision of four to two also ordered the electoral body the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), to conduct fresh elections within 60 days.

This decision is the first time an apex court in Africa will annul the election of a sitting President. The electoral body (IEBC) had earlier declared Kenyatta winner with 54.27 percent of the total votes.

The development later led to two days of demonstrations and riots in the slums of Nairobi and Kisumu, traditional opposition strongholds.

The Agency France Presse (AFP) reported that at least 21 people, including a baby and a nine-year-old girl, were killed, mostly by police during the violence while 1,100 people also lost their lives after the August election.

In a novel judgment, four out of six justices of Kenya Supreme Court declared that Kenyatta’s election was marred with irregularities.

In a decision by the panel of six judges, with two dissenting, the Chief Justice of the Court, David Maraga, held that Kenyatta “was not validly elected”, rendering the result “invalid, null and void”. Maraga said the election commission (IEBC) “failed, neglected or refused to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution”.

He added that the panel of justices had not yet had time to write a “reasoned and well-considered judgement” since hearings closed on Tuesday night, so he only read out the court decision, promising a full ruling later. But the judgment elicited joyous celebrations outside the court from the supporters of Odinga which they described as a rare political victory for the 72 years Raila Odinga.

Thousands of Odinga supporters flooded the streets of Nairobi’s Kibera slum which is his strongholds in the western city of Kisumu, celebrating in the streets, motorcycle drivers hooted their horns. But in a swift reaction, Kenyatta’s lawyer Ahmednassir Abdullahi, criticised the court’s decision as “very political”, but said they would “live with the consequences”.

However, Odinga, still savouring his victory from the court, has passed vote of no confidence on IEBC, maintaining that the present electoral body as constituted lacks the capacity and morality to conduct free, fair and credible rerun election.

Meanwhile, some senior lawyers Nigeria have reacted to the verdict, saying that Kenya apex court should be commended for its courage in annulling the election of President Kenyatta.

The lawyers: Sebastine Hon (SAN), Akindele Oluwaseyi (SAN), John Ali, Nkereuwem Akpan and Hammed Jimoh spoke during separate interviews with our correspondents on Friday. Sebastine Hon said: “I must congratulate the Kenyan people in particular and Africans in general for this feat.

Remember, the post-election violence was so determined and seemingly non-stoppable that we watchers knew something grave had gone wrong with the elections. “Recent happenings on the political landscape of Africa, including the defeat of a sitting President – Goodluck Jonathan – and his voluntary concession of defeat – all point to the fact that there is a positive upswing in African political thinking. “And with the pronouncement of the Kenyan Supreme Court, I think Africans are beginning to think out of the box now.

The trend is most welcome and should spread like wild harmattan fire across Africa. Oluwaseyi said: “I commend the Kenyan Supreme Court for this fearless and courageous verdict. In the history of most African countries where the third Arm of Government is cowed, this is an indication that the Kenyan Judiciary is functioning independently as it is ought to be.

“I commend the Kenyan judiciary, I commend it’s democracy and I commend the Kenyan people over this great feat”. John Ali said: “On a personal note, I am a bit disappointed in the process of the nullification because young persons in Africa sees Uhuru Keyantta and a model. However, the law has taken it course and I hope that African Nations will emulate the courage and tenacity of the Kenyan Judiciary”.

For Akpan, “It is a victory for democracy and the rule of law and that it is a pointer to the fact that the judiciary in Kenya is truly independent and the speed with which the decision was reached is truly commendable and the Nigerian judiciary should borrow a leaf from it.

“The fact that President Uhuru Kenyatta accepted the decision even though he disagreed with it shows that our politicians have come of age. In his own comment, Jimoh said that justices of the Supreme Court of Kenya have shown by their decision that they are courageous.

According to him, it takes courage for judges to state what the position of the law is particularly on high profile case such as the one in Kenya where an incumbent president is involved. He urged Kenyans and indeed Africans to support the decision of the apex court in Kenya.

Also commenting on the development in Kenya, an Abuja based legal practitioner, Daniel Bwala, noted that decisions of courts are determined by the facts before it, saying that it is possible that the case in Kenya was determined on its merit
The Supreme Court of Kenya annuls the results of the recent presidential election, that indicated President Uhuru Kenyatta was reelected, due to irregularities, and orders a new election.