Global political update: UK to name new PM, Kenya election ruling expected

All eyes are on Kenya, East Africa’s economic powerhouse for a supreme court verdict and the United Kingdom where a new Prime minister will be unveiled. The announcements will usher in major changes to the economic fortunes of both countries.

In Nairobi, Kenya’s Supreme Court will deliver judgment Monday in a lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of last month’s presidential election and which has left the East African nation in political limbo.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga, who failed to secure the presidency on his fifth attempt, along with six other parties, petitioned the court to nullify William Ruto’s win, alleging there were massive irregularities that compromised the fairness of the Aug. 9 vote. The official results gave Ruto 50.5% of the votes and Odinga 48.8%.

The court’s ruling can’t be appealed. Should it nullify the vote, as it did in 2017, fresh elections must held within 60 days. If Ruto’s win is upheld, then he will be sworn in on Sept 13.

In the UK, after a bitter eight week long campaign, the Conservative Party will announce its new leader – who will become prime minister – on Monday.

This is how the next 72 hours are roughly due to play out.

Monday

At 12.30pm the winner of the leadership race will be revealed at an event at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster.

Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will learn who has won – widely expected to be Truss – a few minutes before the result is made public.

The venue, a short walk from parliament and Downing Street, was also where Jeremy Corbyn was announced as Labour leader in 2015.

But the new Tory leader will not take over as prime minister immediately.

Tuesday

This will be Boris Johnson’s last day in office as PM. In the early morning, around 8.30am, he will deliver a farewell speech in Downing Street.

Johnson will then fly from London to Aberdeen and make his way to Balmoral to see the Queen and resign.

The Queen will then meet with the new Tory leader and appoint them prime minister.

Truss – or Sunak if he pulls off a spectacular upset – will then fly to London and deliver their first speech as PM outside No.10 at about 4pm.

It is then expected the that the new cabinet will be formed over the course of the next few hours.

Wednesday

Parliament returns from its long summer recess this week, which means the new PM will face Labour leader Keir Starmer at PMQs after about only 24-hours in the job.

Later in the week

Truss has promised to reveal within one week of taking office how she will deal with rising energy bills.

But the likely incoming PM has not said what form any help will take or given a precise date when she will unveil any plan.