Kenya election re-run marred by insecurity - diplomats

Kenya election re-run marred by insecurity - diplomats

Western diplomats have warned of "growing insecurity" in Kenya ahead of Thursday's presidential election re-run, boycotted by the main opposition.

Inflammatory rhetoric and attacks on the election commission made it more difficult to hold a legitimate poll, the 20 envoys said.

Kenyan prosecutors said opposition leader Raila Odinga's sister would be charged with inciting violence.

Mr Odinga has vowed to disrupt Thursday's poll with a mass protest.

He says the vote cannot be held before key reforms, including the sacking of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials, are implemented.

About 70 people have been killed in violence since the IEBC declared President Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of elections on 8 August.

The Supreme Court of Appeal annulled his victory, saying the poll was marred by irregularities and illegalities.

And Mr Odinga says nothing has changed since.

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The foreign envoys said they were concerned about the "deteriorating political environment" in East Africa's biggest economy.

"It is easier to tear down than to build up. But it is dangerous, and it must stop," US ambassador Bob Godec said in a statement on behalf of the 20 diplomats, including those of France, Germany and the UK.

Ruth Odinga is accused of damaging property

Last week, a senior member of the IEBC fled to the US amid death threats.

Roselyn Akombe said the commission was under political "siege", unable to reach consensus or take any decisions.

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Many uncertainties

Alastair Leithead, BBC News, Nairobi

A Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi protests against police officers as he shows his chest wounded by a tear gas canister during a demonstration against recent police brutality that killed some opposition protesters, in Nairobi, Kenya, 19 October 2017Image copyrightEPA

The fresh ballot papers are ready for distribution and the technology is apparently all set for a re-run, but there are still doubts about whether it will go ahead - and if it does, whether it will be seen as legitimate.

The opposition reaffirmed that Mr Odinga will not take part in the poll. The governing Jubilee Party has said the election will go ahead and is calling on Kenyans to come out and vote.

According to the constitution a re-run must be held before 1 November, but a flurry of court challenges, the resignation of an electoral commissioner and threat of a controversial new electoral bill being signed into law leave many uncertainties.

After meeting IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati on Monday, Mr Kenyatta said he expected Thursday's poll to go ahead.

"We have made funds available for the IEBC to do its job. Now they really should deliver," he added in a statement.

Kenya's prosecuting authority said Mr Odinga's sister, Ruth Odinga, would be charged with entering an election centre without permission, and causing malicious damage to property during a training session for election officials in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu in western Kenya.

Opposition lawmaker Fred Outa would be charged with Ms Odinga, it added.

She is a former deputy governor of Kisumu State.

Uhuru Kenyatta is on the campaign trial, despite his main challenger pulling out

Mr Godec called for an end to attacks on IEBC staff, adding that "no-one is obliged to stand for office, or to vote if they do not wish to".

The IEBC has said that Mr Odinga's name will remain on the ballot paper, along with that of six minor candidates who obtained about 1% of the vote between them in the August poll.

The electoral commission said Mr Kenyatta had won the August vote by a margin of 1.4 million votes - or 54% of the total, compared to Mr Odinga's 45%.

My Response:

Audience: I think that the audience of this article is people in Kenya who are going to be affected by the elections. Not just the voters, however them mostly, but also their families, and friends. There are so many people involved in Kenya elections, and when you start bringing in the tribalism aspect, people want to know what is going on.

Author Bias: it seems to me like the author of this article has bias against Mr. Odinga. He says a lot of things that are not uplifting to his name. He also says things about how his sister is being charged. It doesn’t really say anything good about him. Also I think the author is in favor of Kenyatta, just based on the fact that the author looks to him for information on this subject. It also points out that things look good for Kenyatta in terms of winning the election.

Reader bias: Because I know a lot about this whole subject, living in Kenya and all, I feel like I don’t have too much bias going into this whole idea. However, following the elections, I have been somewhat annoyed at Odinga because of his drawing out the process. I feel like he is stirring up more commotion that he needs to be. So, I suppose that I do have some bias towards Kenyatta, and against Odinga.

Publisher Bias: I think that BBC, being a world-wide news organization, has bias towards Kenyatta in this article. The rest of the world that is involved in this election – the overseers – probably are annoyed at Odinga for the same reasons that I am. They probably see that peace is so close, however, it is being stirred up by Odinga. They are probably in favor of Kenyatta, just because it seems like he is keeping the most peace.

My opinion: I wish that they wouldn’t even have another election. To me it seems pointless. Everyone already knows that Kenyatta is going to win, especially now that Odinga has pulled out. So, why cause commotion and not-needed violence when you could just end with a peaceful settlement of Kenyatta becoming president. I was very annoyed when I heard that Odinga pulled out. It was him who called for the revote in the first place. No one else was even close to Kenyatta. I just think that this whole thing now is very pointless. I hope that everything goes okay though.