POLLS closed yesterday in a presidential election rerun that was boycotted by Kenya’s opposition leader and marred by clashes between his supporters and security forces.
The four counties were Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori and Siasa, according to Chebukati.
“The commission has postponed elections in those areas to Saturday 28 October this week. So there will be repeat elections in those areas in accordance with the law,” Chebukati added.
Voting was postponed in at least four counties due to “security challenges”.
“We have faced and continue to face challenges which are largely security related in certain electoral areas,” Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, said.
At least three people were killed in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu and several others wounded as police engaged in running street battles with protesters.
In Kibera, a slum in the capital, Nairobi, at least one polling station remained closed most of the day as protesters barricaded roads and security forces fired tear gas and live bullets to disperse them.
The security services rejected that they had used excessive force against protesters.
“In every instance which we respond to, our response has always been proportionate and measured,” said Joseph Boinnet, the country’s police chief.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that those who want to go and vote are afforded sufficient security to go and vote. Those who do not want to vote are also allowed the space to enjoy that right not to vote,” Boinnet added.
In most polling stations in the areas where the electoral body postponed the poll, voters did not show up to cast their ballot.
Low voter turnouts were also reported in the coastal city of Mombasa, stronghold of the NASA opposition coalition.
The East African country is holding the poll rerun after the Supreme Court rejected the 8 August presidential election result due to “illegalities and irregularities” with the voting process
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