Thirdway Alliance presidential candidate Ekuru Aukot celebrates with supporters after High Court ruling at Milimani law courts, Nairobi, on Wednesday. [Photo: The Star]Before Dr Ekuru Aukot's High Court ruling on Wednesday, NASA's game plan, calling for nominations and a totally new election, had confounded many people and left President Uhuru and his brigade pondering their next move to ensure his legitimacy.Raila's strategy depended on paragraph 290 of the 2013 Supreme Court ruling on his own presidential petition. The six-member bench ruled that if a candidate withdraws the poll is postponed, the Star reports.The paragraph states, "Suppose, however, the candidates, or a candidate who took part in the original election, dies or abandons the electoral quest before the scheduled date: then the provisions of Article 138(8) (b) would become applicable, with fresh nominations ensuing."However, a day after Raila dramatically withdrew from presidential rerun, a High Court in Nairobi gave a lifeline to all August 8 poll candidates, spoiling a NASA strategy that depended on a scenario with only two contenders, one of whom withdraws."The logical construction which to me would serve the public interest is that those who participated in the invalidated election do qualify to contest in the fresh election," the judge ruled.According to NASA, the implication of that ruling is that upon Raila's withdrawal, the upcoming poll is cancelled.

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