This archive report was first published on 15 January 2020.
On January 15, 2020, Stanley Livondo took the Kenyan government to court, seeking to bar Deputy President William Ruto from running for the presidency in subsequent general elections.
Livondo's petition, which was filed on January 15, 2020, hinges on the interpretation of Articles 130 (1), 131 (1), and 148 (6)(a) of the Constitution. He argues that when these provisions are read together, they imply that the President and Deputy President cannot stand for nomination as presidential candidates.
According to Livondo, his move is motivated by the fact that the Deputy President and Cabinet Secretaries, who are appointed by the President, are working as a single unit. He cited Article 142(2), which bars the current head of state from standing for nomination, and Article 148 (6), which he believes should be interpreted to prevent the sitting Deputy President from re-election in the presidential seat.
Livondo also sought to prevent past Cabinet Secretaries from taking up any other executive role or national or county government seat once a new president has been sworn in.
With this petition, it appears that Deputy President William Ruto's chances of running for the presidency in 2022 are slim.
