Kenya opposition demands removal of electoral commission officials

Hundreds of opposition supporters in Kenya have held protests in the capital, Nairobi, and the western town of Kisumu.

They are demanding the removal of electoral commission officials accused of bungling the nullified presidential elections.

The protest comes as a local rights group releases a report indicating that at least 37 people were killed in three days of protests in August. This after Uhuru Kenyatta was declared as the winner of the polls.

Waving placards and chanting pro-reform slogans, the opposition supporters marched along Nairobi’s streets to the electoral
commission’s headquarters.

The march was temporarily halted after men in plain clothes fired at the crowd and a vehicle rammed into the demonstrators.

Member of Parliament Gladys Wanga says: “The demonstrators that have been shot are in a critical condition and they been rushed to the hospital, two have been knocked by vehicles.”

Outside the electoral commission offices police kept close watch on the protesters.

Pressure is mounting on the two political rivals to meet hold talks aimed at breaking the on-going political deadlock that risk negatively affecting the fresh elections. But both maintain a hard-line stance.

– By Sarah Kimani