NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Latest on Kenya’s presidential election (all times local): 9:05 p.m. Kenya’s electoral commission says all eight candidates from the presidential election that the Supreme Court annulled will participate in new elections later this month. The
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Latest on Kenya’s presidential election (all times local):
9:05 p.m.
Kenya’s electoral commission says all eight candidates from the presidential election that the Supreme Court annulled will participate in new elections later this month.
The commission’s announcement followed a high court decision Wednesday to allow candidate Ekuru Aukot, who received just 27,000 votes of the 15 million cast in August. The court nullified that election because of “irregularities.”
The Oct. 26 vote at first had been limited to President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga, who withdrew his candidature Tuesday citing a lack of reforms by the election commission.
The new statement says Odinga is still considered a candidate as he has not turned in the required form for withdrawal.
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5:40 p.m.
A Kenya police official says four people with gunshot wounds have been admitted to hospitals in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu county, where police used live ammunition to disperse protesters demanding reforms to the electoral commission ahead of a fresh election.
The official says the four were wounded in a clash between protesters and police near Kondele slum in Kisumu city. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with reporters.
Opposition leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for the new presidential elections Oct. 26, saying that without reforms the vote would face the same problems. The Supreme Court annulled President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election in August, citing irregularities.
Opposition leaders have urged supporters to continue with planned protests against the election commission.
— Tom Odula in Nairobi
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3 p.m.
Police in Kenya’s capital have used tear gas to disperse thousands of opposition protesters holding peaceful demonstrations demanding reforms to the election commission, a day after opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew from this month’s new presidential vote.
Police dispersed protesters who gathered in a Nairobi park and tried to make their way to the election commission’s offices. Protesters regrouped at another park and walked to the offices, where dozens of anti-riot police are lined up.
Odinga’s legal challenge led to the Supreme Court nullifying the August election in which President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner. But he withdrew from the new vote ordered by the court, saying that without reforms the vote risks having the same problems.
Wednesday’s protest was led by leaders of Odinga’s opposition National Super Alliance.
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2:25 p.m.
Kenyan lawmakers have approved amendments to the country’s electoral law that have been criticized by the opposition and Western diplomats shortly before the fresh presidential election on Oct. 26.
The amendments require the approval of President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose ruling party sought the changes after the Supreme Court nullified Kenyatta’s election in August and ordered a new vote.
Diplomats including the United States ambassador this month said the proposed change puts at risk the election commission’s “ability to conduct a better election” and “unnecessarily increases political tensions.”
The opposition says the changes are meant to make the transmission of election results a manual process that would have fewer safeguards against fraud, and would make it more difficult for the court to annul an election.
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11:45 a.m.
A Kenyan judge has allowed a minor opposition candidate to run for president, a day after opposition leader Raila Odinga withdrew from the rerun of the poll ordered by the Supreme Court.
Justice John Mativo said Wednesday that he did not see any reason for Ekuru Aukot to be barred from participating in the repeat election on Oct. 26. Aukot won about 27,000 votes of more than 15 million cast in the invalidated poll.
The court rejected the August election in which President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner after Odinga challenged the results saying hackers infiltrated the electoral commission’s computer system to alter the vote in Kenyatta’s favor.
Odinga withdrew from the fresh election saying the electoral commission must be changed.
