Kenyan Opposition Threatens To Boycott Rerun, Says IEBC Can’t Protect Votes

Kenya will hold a new presidential election on the 17 October, which will pit the incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta, the leader of the opposition Raila Odinga, after the invalidation by the supreme Court in the election on August 8, announced Monday the electoral Commission (IEBC).

Stressing that the problem with the judiciary must be fixed, Kenyatta addressed the decision by the Supreme Court that annulled his election win and ordered a new poll within 60 days.

But the opposition contested the results that put Uhuru ahead of the eight presidential candidates with more than 54 percent of the total votes cast followed by Mr. Odinga with 46 percent.

Friday, September 4 will remain in the history books as the day Kenya did the unexpected, in the process throwing the National Super Alliance (NASA) chief Raila Odinga’s supporters into a frenzy. The court ruled that there were irregularities and that a new election is to be held within 60 days.

The U.S. ambassador and other diplomats in Kenya say the Supreme Court ruling nullifying the presidential election “has demonstrated Kenya’s resilient democracy and commitment to the rule of law”.

Mr Atwoli said the president “appeared not to be sober” and warned his behaviour could cost him support.

When Kenyatta was declared the victor last month, he said that “in a true democracy, all Kenyans are winners”.

Kenya’s Opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga (centre) reacts to the ruling at the Supreme Court.

Reacting to the verdict, Kenyatta said the judges “decided to go against the will of the people”, but chose to respect the decision.

“As it has been said by my other colleagues, we have no faith at all in the electoral commission as now constituted”.

Kenyatta’s party deputy chief whip in the Senate, Irungu Kangata, said Friday the party will use its numerical strength in parliament to stop any attempt to disband the commission.

“These people are not interesting to us having an election, they want a “Nusu Mkate” (Coalition government)”. He claimed that the electoral commission’s IT system had been hacked and that the results were fixed.

Although the unrest in this year’s vote was not as serious as in 2007, days of sporadic protests left at least 28 people dead. Some forms lacked serial numbers or water marks or were not signed by election agents or lacked the electoral commission stamp. Worldwide election observers have said they saw no interference with the vote.