Lawyer Willis Otieno has welcomed the High Court’s interpretation of the Constitution regarding the timing of Kenya’s next General Election, saying the ruling confirms a legal position he has defended for years.
The decision follows a judgment by the High Court in Malindi, which ruled that Kenya’s next General #Election should be conducted on August 11, 2026, holding that Article 136(2)(a) of the Constitution requires elections to be held in the fifth year rather than after five years have elapsed.
Reacting to the ruling, #Otieno said many people had initially dismissed his argument as politically motivated and intended to oppose President William Ruto. He maintained, however, that his position had always been rooted in constitutional interpretation.
“When I first advanced this constitutional argument, many dismissed it as political opposition to President William Ruto. I maintained that it was never about politics; it was about the proper interpretation of the Constitution,” he said.
Otieno noted that the judgment by Justice Mugure Thande aligns with the interpretation he has consistently advanced.
“Today, Justice Mugure Thande of the High Court at Malindi has interpreted Article 136(2)(a) to mean that the General Election ought to be held in August 2026 – that elections are held in the fifth year, not after five years. That is the constitutional interpretation I have consistently defended,” he stated.
The ruling has revived debate over the constitutional timeline for Kenya’s electoral cycle and is likely to trigger further legal and political discussions over the country’s election calendar. #MugureThande
