Supporters of Kenya’s opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) on Monday staged street protests to demand for reforms in the country’s electoral commission.
The opposition is demanding systems and personnel changes at the the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) ahead of October 26 re-run of the presidential election after the Supreme Court nullified the August 8 election results.
The opposition leader in Kenya, Raila Odinga last Thursday called on his supporters to demonstrate nationwide over proposed changes to the country’s election laws.
The Kenyan parliament is in the process of revising the election laws ahead of the October 26 re-run presidential election following the nullification of the August 8 poll won by incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.
Key among the proposals being made through the motion is to have the counting and transmission of election results carried out manually and should be considered the primary mode of conducting elections.
That will mean that electronic system as was used during the previous election would be a complementary arrangement and not primary.
National Assembly passed the motion for these changes to be discussed despite resistance from opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa) MPs.
Nasa MPs argued that any changes to the elections law ahead of the October 26 election would compromise its credibility.
Speaking at a news conference in Nairobi, Mr Odinga said the proposed changes were an attack on democracy.
He called for bi-weekly demonstrations starting next Monday and Friday to register their displeasure.
“I call on this generation to resist, to rise up and resist. We are calling our people to action,” Odinga said.
Police in Kenya have tried to stop these protests in some counties in the country.
