Kenyan president labels Supreme Court 'crooks' after election win overturned

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has called the Supreme Court "crooks" after it overturned his election win.

Mr Kenyatta spoke to supporters in Nairobi just hours after the court nullified last month's re-election win and called for a new election within 60 days.

The president had won a second term with 54 percent of the vote in August's election.

Mr Kenyatta said his status as "president-elect" had been taken away by (chief justice David) "Maraga and his crooks", and that the judges should know they are dealing with an incumbent president.

The president appeared to have already started campaigning for the new election, promising to transform the capital so that "people will think they are in London".

Six judges ruled four to two in favour of the petition filed by opposition candidate Raila Odinga who had challenged the result, claiming electronic votes were hacked and manipulated in favour of Mr Kenyatta.

Mr Odinga's lawyer said anomalies had affected nearly five million votes.

In a separate press conference, Mr Odinga called for the resignation of the CEO of Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and other commissioners he said were "co-conspirators".

"They must face criminal prosecution," Mr Odinga said.

"We ask these IEBC officials, who have perpetrated a monumental crime against the people, to do the right thing and resign."

IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati said he has invited the director of public prosecutions to prosecute any staffer found to have been involved in electoral malpractice.

Lawyers for Mr Kenyatta called the Supreme Court's decision a "very political decision".

The decision was met with scenes of jubilation on the streets of Nairobi where security was tight.

Armed police stood guard outside the courtroom and the surrounding streets were barricaded. There has been widespread unrest since the 8 August election, with human rights groups claiming at least 24 people had been killed by police.

Unease around the election had risen when the official who oversaw the electronic voting system was found tortured and killed days before the vote.