NAIROBI
(Reuters) - Police fired tear gas at opposition supporters in the Kenyan
capital Nairobi on Monday who were calling for officials they blame for last
month’s
botched presidential elections to be sacked, Reuters witnesses said.
A re-run is
due to be held Oct. 26 after the Supreme Court voided the Aug. 8 vote due to
irregularities. The court criticized election the board on procedural grounds
but did not find any individual at the board responsible.
Police also
fired teargas to disperse protesters in the western city of Kisumu, according
to another Reuters witness. At least 28 people were killed in unrest following
last month’s vote.
Whether the
re-run will go ahead as planned looks increasingly uncertain as the parties of
the two candidates, Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga are sparring
over proposed changes to the election system to prevent the Supreme Court from
annulling the results again.
Kenyatta’s
ruling Jubilee Party presented parliament with proposed changes last week but
Odinga’s coalition has said it will not take part unless these are dropped.
Kenya is a
key Western ally in a region often roiled by violence.
Businesses
were paralyzed in Kisumu, the opposition stronghold, on Monday after police and
demonstrators clashed.
Additional
reporting by Katharine Houreld in Nairobi and Kevine Omollo in Kisumu; Writing
by Maggie Fick and Clement Uwiringiyimana; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky
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