380m accessed our portal–Kenya’s IEBC Lawyer tackles Odinga

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance led by opposition leader Raila Odinga has refuted claims that there was a vote difference between the president and the other five elective positions, according to Mahat Somane, the lawyer representing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission at the Supreme Court regarding the presidential petition filed against President-Elect William Ruto’s victory.

The Azimio team has emphasized that certain polling places in Mount Kenya Region, which has been referred to as Ruto’s backyard, have more votes for the president than for the other positions, suggesting vote manipulation in Ruto’s favor.

The Azimio side, according to Somane, did not present any evidence to support their claims when he made his submission on Thursday. He also pointed out that prisoners and people from the diaspora only cast presidential ballots.

He said for each polling location across the nation, we have completed an error report. It will demonstrate that the chairperson’s announcement is what Kenyans voted for.

“Nationally, the only difference in votes cast for president and governorship elections was only 900 votes, not the hundreds that Mr. Raila Odinga’s running mate Martha Karua has stated in her affidavit,” he continued.

Somane commented on the voter turnout, stating that the reported 64.6% turnout was based on the reporting Kiems kits rather than the gazetted voter register, and that 86,889 people cast ballots.

Harvard trained IEBC Lawyer Mahat Somane of Kenya

Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Advocate Mahat Somane addressed the Supreme Court during the presidential election petition on Thursday, September 1, 2022

THE JUDICIARY
During the presidential petition at the Supreme Court of Kenya on Thursday, September 1, Lawyer Mahat Somane who is representing the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) accused Raila’s legal team of manipulating Forms 34A.

Somane attracted praise with his diction and articulation of information technology and legal jargon while defending President-elect, William Ruto’s victory.

“The court already pronounced itself on the issue of the 50 percent plus one vote. Deal with it! It’s over!” Somane hit back at Raila Odinga and Martha Karua who claimed that Ruto did not attain the required threshold to be declared President Uhuru Kenyatta’s successor.

“No one can upload Form 34A, not even Wafula Chebukati. They are only transmitted from the KIEMS kits from the polling stations and that’s the end of the story,” he added, disparaging Raila’s claims that Forms 34A were manipulated.

Mahat Somane graduated with a Bachelor of Law from the University of Nairobi in 2005 and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law in 2007.

He was also admitted to the Bar that year. In 2010, he graduated with a Masters’s Degree in Public Policy (International Economic Development)from Harvard Kennedy School.

A year later in 2011, he completed another Masters’s Degree in Law (Corporate Law and Governance) from Harvard Law School.

Winning a Fulbright scholarship to study at Harvard is an opportunity he says helped him get legal knowledge from one of the best institutions on the globe.

Born in a family of 10, Somane stated he had an inbuilt desire to help his marginalized community in Garissa County.

The attorney who also represented IEBC in the 2017 Presidential election petition manages a law firm, Garane & Somane Advocates, that he co-founded to cater for startups.

The firm offers pro-bono services to start-ups as well as provides free legal aid to vulnerable and underprivileged citizens seeking justice.

In his hometown, Somane also offers help to poor households to get access to pocket-friendly and energy-efficient power at no cost.

A display of the Supreme court session as hearing of petition continues on August 31, 2022. A display of the Supreme Court session as hearing of petition continues on August 31, 2022.

According to his Linkedin profile, the lawyer also teaches at several universities across the globe.

Among his achievements is partnering with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation program to draft model laws on technology and sustainability.

Somane also farms watermelon as a part-time activity.