Kenya's IEBC postpones vote in four counties citing insecurity

Kenya’s election body has postponed voting in four counties to Saturday, October 28. The main reason for the move was due to insecurity in the said places.

Chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Wafula Chebukati, in a press briefing said voters in Migori, Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties, will vote on Saturday (October 28) in the presidential poll re-run ordered by the Supreme Court.

The four counties in question, all opposition strongholds in western Kenya, have given security forces a hard time as protesters continue to engage them in running battles.

Despite a call by opposition chief, Raila Odinga, asking supporters to stay at home and pray, most opposition strongholds have been heated throughout the day.

Protesters keep throwing stones and other weapons at the police who have in turn fired tear gas cannisters, water cannons and in some cases used live bullets.

The AFP News Agency have reported that three people have so far been killed citing medical sources.

#BREAKING Death toll from Kenya poll violence rises to three: hospital, police

— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 26, 2017

Today’s election follows the cancellation of the August 8 election that produced Uhuru Kenyatta as winner. The main opposition NASA coalition challenged the results in court and obtained an annulment and re-run order.

NASA, however, announced a boycott of the polls stating that the IEBC had failed to undertake the necessary reforms that will guarantee a free and fair process. Its leader, Raila Odinga, has announced that NASA has effectively become a ‘resistance movement’ in the country.