Kenya Election: Deadly Clashes Halt Vote

Local Editor

Fears of further bloodshed has led Kenya's election commission to postpone Saturday voting in some opposition strongholds, citing safety concerns for its workers as deadly clashes continued between police and protesters.

It was the second voting delay in four out of Kenya's 47 counties, highlighting the bitter divisions and political uncertainty that have intensified after Thursday's repeat presidential election, which was boycotted by supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga.

It was not clear when the voting will now take place.

At least six people have died in violence linked to the latest election, including a man who was shot in the Nairobi slum of Kawangware as security forces moved to quell fighting between gangs from different ethnic groups late on Friday, according to police.

Earlier in the day, stone-throwing protesters in Kawangware who support Odinga clashed with police who fired tear gas and water cannon.

The rioters, some belonging to the Luhya and Luo ethnic groups, looted shops and set fire to a kiosk owned by an ethnic Kikuyu, according to witnesses.

Kikuyu gangs with machetes then moved into the area and attacked the rioters. More fires were started and one man with a severe wound from a machete blow was seen on the ground, bleeding heavily.

"We are not celebrating this election!" one opposition supporter shouted as dozens of young men streamed by carrying sticks and stones.

Since Thursday, six police officers have been seriously injured in election violence and authorities have arrested 86 people, police said.

Many observers say Kenya's ethnic-based politics overshadow the promise of its democracy.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who gained 54 per cent of the vote in the 8 August presidential election that was later nullified by the Supreme Court over irregularities, is from the Kikuyu community.

Friday's announcement that voting will not occur in several opposition areas "until further notice" followed warnings from opposition leaders that they would not participate, fearing a police crackdown.

Peter Anyang' Nyong'o, the governor of Kisumu County, described the plan to open the polls on Saturday as a "joke" and church leaders and lawyers in Kisumu city also criticized the plan.

US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a tweet that Washington was "disappointed" by reports of Friday's violence.

"We encourage immediate & open dialogue w/ all parties to resolve deep divisions," she said.

Thursday's vote had a sharply lower turnout because of the opposition boycott. About 6.5 million people, or one-third of registered voters, went to the polls, according to the election commission.

Nearly 80 per cent of registered voters participated in the August election.

Opposition supporters in some places blocked polls from opening, and election commission chairman Wafula Chebukati said colleagues were targeted in the chaos.

"Some of my staff were hijacked and some were tortured ... others were forbidden and violently prevented from reporting to their polling stations," he said.

The Supreme Court's decision to nullify the August vote was the first time a court in Africa had overturned a presidential election.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team