KENYA
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) of Kenya insists it is going ahead with preparations for a rerun of the August 8 presidential elections despite concerns by the main opposition National Super Alliance (NASA).
Even though the Supreme Court annulled the entire process and ordered a fresh poll within 60 days, the IEBC has stated that it will allow incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party and NASA’s Raila Odinga on the ballot sheet.
Despite NASA’s earlier boycott threat demanding serious reforms within the IEBC before the rerun, its candidate has launched a public appeal for funds to finance the polls slated for October 17.
Addressing a media briefing in the capital Nairobi, Odinga said anybody who wants to go to Canaan should buy a ticket – referring to supporters having to contribute financially towards the campaign.
There is talk in Kenya about how Odinga, like Joshua in the bible was poised to lead Kenyans to the land of glory after 40 years. NASA is also pushing for a postponement of the October 17 date – a position the IEBC and Jubilee have strongly rejected.
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On his part, President Uhuru Kenyatta almost immediately hit the campaign trail on September 1, hours after the apex court ordered a poll rerun.
After officially accepting the ruling and disagreeing with it, the son of the country’s first president went on a tirade branding judges as ‘thugs and criminals’ who had subverted the will of the people. His comments were widely condemned by the legal fraternity and politicians – within and outside the country.
It has, however, not affected his almost daily campaign stops across the country. He has asked supporters to show up on the set date for the rerun and to give Jubilee a more convincing win that they did on August 8.
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The elections were cancelled because the Supreme Court agreed with a NASA petition that irregularities on the part of the IEBC had adversely affected the outcome of the poll. It was a historic decision in Africa for a court to have overturned a presidential election result.
SOURCE:AFRICANEWS
