Widespread anger as protests erupt in Kenya over new election law

Violent protests have erupted in Kenya moments after several changes over a new election law were approved by parliament – dominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ruling Jubilee party.

According to reports, police in Kenya fired teargas at angry opposition supporters who are unhappy at a new election law which says if one candidate withdraws, the other automatically wins the presidency- meaning a walk over victory for Kenyatta, in the re-run of the election later this month.

Read also: Kenya’s opposition leader pulls-out of presidential re-run

In Odinga’s western stronghold of Kisumu, thousands of protesters took to the street, blocking roads, setting heaps of tyres alight and engaging in running battles with police.

Speaking on Tuesday after announcing his decision to pull-out of the re-run scheduled for 26 October Odinga said; “We have come to the conclusion that there is no intention on the part of the IEBC [electoral commission] to undertake any changes to its operations and personnel… All indications are that the election scheduled for 26 October will be worse than the previous one.

Kenya National Commission on Human Rights revealed that no less than 37 Kenyan’s including a six-month old girl ‘clobbered’ by security agents have lost their lives in the protests that followed the announcement of the last elections result.

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