President Uhuru Kenyatta’s fierce critic and a law scholar based in New York has termed Supreme Court’s decision to uphold his victory as a legality but not legitimacy.
Prof Makau Mutua once again, does not recognize Uhuru as a Kenya’s President.
When Uhuru was first elected in 2013, the law scholar said he does not recognize Uhuru as the President.
In fact, he refers to him as ‘Mr. Kenyatta’ and not President Uhuru Kenyatta.
In a tweet a while after Chief Justice David Maraga upheld Uhuru’s victory on Monday; Mutua took to twitter where in a short sentence, he said legality is not legitimacy.
“Legality isn’t legitimacy,” he said via twitter.
He joins NASA brigade led by Raila Odinga who says he does not recognize Uhuru’s victory even after the Supreme Court ruling.
Raila insists that Uhuru is illegitimately in office.
“We in NASA had repeatedly declared before this Supreme Court ruling today that we consider this government to be illegitimate and do not recognize it,” Raila said through his adviser Salim Lone in a statement.
However, Kenyans were quick to respond to Mutua’s assertion some saying he is living in denial while others said he was seeking the Chief Justice post under an “illegitimate” President.
“And he came looking for a job from the same illegitimate president,” tweeted Sammy Chigwa.
Stephen Muiruri said: “Twasonga mbel (We are moving forward). Even in 2013 you didn’t recognize presidency of Uhuru; that did not stop him from ruling for 5 years.”
BenNM254 told Mutua: “Wordless today, ha! LEGALITY good enough. LEGITIMACY fickle, determined by how you voted. Not what was sought. You still don’t believe in Trump but he’s still the U.S. president. Kenyatta legally elected. He wasn’t looking for acceptance, that’s personal choice you must make.”
Solomon Kuria: “To us common mwananchi…it means the same…legality & legitimacy.”
Gichuki Wachiuri: “Deception has become Nasa’s political survival trick. Now you’ve moved to Legitimacy and People’s Assemblies after boycott own goal. Luckily, you’ve a base with an almost infant-like response to lies.”
Rukundo Odasi: “But Prof Illegality and irregularities was the reason for nullification of Uhuru’s legitimacy! Why is it now that legality doesn’t matter?”
But there are those who agreed with Mutua that though the ruling was passed, it does not prove legitimacy of Uhuru’s Presidency.
Ama Aje tweeted: “So true, and the supreme [Court] cannot resolve Legitimacy unfortunately.”
Amunga jacktone: “True Prof! Some Kenyans r so brain washed, they are homeless, poor, unemployed, those with no access 2 quality health care, quality education r the ones celebrating not knowing a corrupt regime which has vested interests will never stand 4 their welfare nor improve their standards of living (sic).”