KENYA: Demonstrators call for sack of electoral commission in wild protests

There have been wild protests on the streets of Kenya as demonstrators are calling for the sack of election officials before the re-run of a presidential vote because they favour President Uhuru Kenyatta and fear the officials may be compromised again.

Reports say local police had a tough time controlling the crowd using tear gas and batons to disperse protesters near the election commission headquarters in central Nairobi.

The opposition led by Raila Odinga is leading the call for the sack of the election commission which has in turn asked the opposition to call off protests until the IEBC has explained the various measures being taken to “enhance the credibility and integrity” of the vote.

Read also: Kenya’s presidential re-run may be postponed

“IEBC cannot begin the process of an honest election as long as those responsible for the irregularities and illegalities are still lurking in its corridors,” Odinga told reporters.

“IEBC has refused to dismiss or suspend them. That is why we are today beginning these peaceful campaigns to force them out by public pressure so the process of a fair election can at last begin,” he added.

Kenya’s chief prosecutor, Keriako Tobiko, has also ordered that the country’s electoral officials be investigated for alleged “irregularities and illegalities” in the last August elections which was annulled by the Supreme Court.

Tobiko, the Director of public prosecutions, said wide-ranging investigations must be conducted in the next 21 days, into the August election which saw Kenyatta declared the winner, at the polls which was later annulled after claims of “massive” fraud.

 

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