Kenya Presidential election overturned amid claims results were hacked

Kenya’s Supreme Court has declared that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s election win as invalid due to "irregularities committed by the election board" and ordered a new vote, making it the first African country to have a presidential poll invalidated by a court.

The election commission declated Uhuru Kenyatta the winner by a margin of 1.4 million votes but the opposition argued that the commission’s IT system had been hacked and the results manipulated.

Following the announcement, opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga remarked that “this is a historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension for the people of the continent of Africa”. Odinga added that he had “no faith at all in the electoral commission as currently constituted” and called for the prosecution for its members.

Reading the decision, which was reached by a majority of four to two amongst judges, Chief Justice David Maraga said the 8 August poll had not been “conducted in accordance with the constitution”.

Supporters of the opposition were seen celebrating outside the court building, as well as in opposition strongholds.

The election sparked days of protests, in which at least 28 people were killed.