Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Friday rethinking his political strategy after the country's top court stopped his move to make constitutional changes that opponents have branded a bid to increase his power.
In a majority judgement, the Supreme Court upheld a finding by the lower courts that Kenyatta pushed through the changes through a constitutional clause that can only be used by ordinary citizens – not elected politicians.
"He cannot run with the hare and hunt with the hounds," said William Ouko, one of the seven judges who heard the case.
Last year, the High Court and the Court of Appeal rejected the proposed amendments known as the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
The government appealed to the Supreme Court.
Clash
While the judges were considering the verdict, presidential candidate William Ruto said the changes would have led to an all-powerful presidency, while Kenyatta argued the proposal would promote power sharing among competing ethnic groups.
Kenya enacted a new constitution in 2010, designed to discourage the ruling classes from amending it constantly to suit their short-term interests.
If Kenyatta's amendments had succeeded, they would have led to the creation of 70 new parliamentary constituencies as well as several powerful new posts: a prime minister, two deputies and an official leader of the parliamentary opposition.
Critics feared the changes would have enabled Kenyatta – who is barred from running for president again in the 9 August vote – to remain in power via the post of prime minister.
Ruto faces a tough battle in the August election.
Kenyatta is backing his former foe Raila Odinga, who favours the amendments.
