How Millie Odhiambo reacted to Supreme Court judgment

Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo lying on the ground after the Supreme Court nullified President Uhuru Kenyatta's win on September 1, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Only a summary of the judgment was read

By JOHN NGIRACHU
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As National Super Alliance (Nasa) MPs crowded about in front of the cameras after the decision of the Supreme Court, Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo was on another level.

She cast off her lawyer’s robe and flung herself on the ground behind the statue of the little naked boy with the fish.

As she rose, she said, with tears in her eyes: “I had promised the Lord that I would lie prostrate on the ground in front of the Supreme Court.”

As she celebrated the ruling in her unique way, other lawmakers were singing and dancing outside the Supreme Court.

CROWD

Nasa had earlier demanded a reading of the judgment and their expectation, going by what had been said in the court earlier and the setting of the announcement at 11 am, was that it would be a long wait.

Only a summary of the judgment was read.

Nasa leader Raila Odinga celebrates with supporters in the streets of Nairobi after the Supreme Court ruling on September 1, 2017. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE NATION MEDIA GROUP

After the ruling, Raila Odinga, the Nasa presidential candidate, emerged from the court corridors, sending the singing lawmakers into a fresh round of dancing as he made his way to the podium.

After thanking the judges for the precedent-setting ruling and condemning the electoral commission, Mr Odinga and the team headed back into the building and left the exit into the grounds of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

RAILA SMILES

Part of the crowd that had been waiting outside the courts surged into the grounds. Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and a group of other leaders went back into the compound of the Judiciary and looked on behind the gates.

But Mr Odinga stayed with the crowd, which led him to City Hall Way, where he boarded his vehicle and emerged a few seconds later from the sunroof, donning his trademark brown hat and wearing a smile not seen in many weeks.

He shook hands and bumped fists all round, did a little jig, waved, Mr Musyoka picked a twig from one of the supporters and joined in the wave of joy whose centre was the Supreme Court ruling.

As they drove off, the supporters followed, thinking they were headed to Uhuru Park, but there was not going to be victory rally. The supporters were left happily and peacefully rejoicing in the city streets.