By THEDISPATCH.DIGITAL REPORTER
On Wednesday, fourteen Kenyans filed a petition at the High Court in Nairobi seeking orders for a referendum to oust President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua from office. The petitioners argue that the president and his deputy have violated the constitution by allowing extrajudicial killings of anti-government protesters by police officers.
The petition also faults President Ruto for ordering the deployment of military officers against protesting civilians, which the petitioners claim is unconstitutional. They assert, “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 argue that judicial intervention is necessary to prevent the current socio-political crisis from spiraling out of control and to preserve the constitutional order. They warn that the ongoing economic crisis, exacerbated by the Finance Bill withdrawal, could lead to a state collapse similar to that experienced in Sri Lanka, Lebanon, or Sudan.
President Ruto has been accused of labeling and demeaning protesters as saboteurs, treason mongers, and faceless anarchists, despite their calls for a better Kenya. The petitioners demand the court’s directive to authorize a referendum to remove President Ruto and his deputy through a popular vote.
Additionally, the petitioners request the court to quash the agreement between President Ruto and US President Joe Biden, which designates Kenya as a non-NATO ally of the US. They also demand a directive for the withdrawal of military officers from the streets during the anti-government demonstrations.
This petition follows recent demonstrations across the country that resulted in the deaths of over 50 Kenyans and left 400 critically injured. The intensifying protests compelled the Head of State to withdraw the Finance Bill 2024 and dismiss nearly all his cabinet secretaries.