Tonny Onyulo

Special for USA TODAY

NAIROBI — Kenya’s Supreme Court on Friday overturned last month's presidential election, citing voting irregularities, and ordered a new election within 60 days. It declared President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election null and void.

It is the first time a presidential election in East Africa's economic hub has been nullified. Supporters of opposition candidate Raila Odinga, 72, danced and cheered in the streets, and said they felt vindicated because he had contended that he lost because the electronic tally had been hacked.

"We are happy as Kenyans because justice has finally been found," said Chris Omondi, a supporter of Odinga outside the court. "Raila has to win this election."

The country’s top court ruled 4-2 in favor of a petition by Odinga, whose lawyer said a scrutiny of the forms used to tally the results had anomalies affecting nearly 5 million votes. Kenyatta won by about 1.5 million votes out of 20 million cast.

“After considering the evidence, we are satisfied that the elections were not conducted in the accordance to the dictates of the constitution,” said Chief Justice David Maraga, who delivered the ruling.

Chris Msando, the head of the electoral commissions' IT programs, was tortured and murdered shortly before the election, something the opposition said proved a conspiracy against Odinga.

Violence broke out, killing 24 people, after Kenyatta won a second term in the Aug. 8 election with 54% of the vote. However it was not the feared mass killings of a decade ago when more than 1,000 people died in violence following Odinga's loss in 2007 elections.

The Supreme Court said the election commission “committed illegalities and irregularities … in the transmission of results, substance of which will be given in the detailed judgment of the court” that will be published within 21 days.

“It’s a very historic day for the people of Kenya and by extension the people of Africa,” said Odinga, the leader of the National Super Alliance (Nasa) party.

“For the first time in the history of African democratization, a ruling has been made by a court nullifying irregular election of a president. This is a precedent-setting ruling,” he added.

Analysts echoed Odinga, saying that Kenya was setting a standard for the entire continent, where courts regularly side with the ruling parties and incumbents, often in power for decades by fraud in elections or outright repression of the opposition.

The decision has "refreshed Kenyans trust in the judiciary, given the long evasive democracy an opportunity to take root in our deeply divided nation and set the agenda for democracy and the free will of the people," said Nazlin Umar Rajput, a political analyst in Kenya, and chairwoman of the National Muslim Council of Kenya.

"This is a win-win for the entire African continent whichever side of the divide anyone may be on," she said. "Whether we like it or not, we go down in history."

Kenyatta said he personally disagreed with the ruling, but accepted it. " I urge you to maintain peace and love each other. We believe in democracy and we are ready for the second round. We believe in the peace and unity of our country," Kenyatta said after the Supreme Court ruling.

The court did not place any blame on Kenyatta or his Jubilee party, which has denied any vote tampering. The country's electoral commission said there was a failed hacking attempt, while international election observers said they saw no interference with the vote.

“I’m very happy today, I can now go back home and have peace,” said Victor Wesonga, a resident of Nairobi's sprawling Kibera slum, where Odinga enjoys huge support. “I knew Raila won this election but he was denied the victory."

“We are very bitter with the decision of the Supreme Court," said Janet Wamboi, a Kenyatta supporter.

“But we’ll still vote for Uhuru Kenyatta in large numbers. We have the advantage in both houses (of parliament) and we are sure of winning the elections,” she added.