Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) on Wednesday announced that the country’s repeat presidential poll would continue as planned, and that all the eight candidates that contested the August 8 vote will be included.
The commission also revealed that main opposition leader Raila Odinga had not submitted a supportive document confirming his withdrawal from the race as announced on Tuesday, so he will also be included.
“It is therefore the commission’s position that the candidates for the fresh presidential election scheduled for 26th October 2017 shall include all the eight candidates who participated in the 8th August 2017 presidential election” a statement from the commission read.
“We note that the Rt. Honorable Raila Odinga and his running mate sent a letter…indicating that they had decided to withdraw from the fresh presidential election. They however have not submitted the statutory Form 24A,” it added.
The country’s Supreme Court nullified the August 8 presidential election, citing malpractices in the tallying and transmission process. It ordered a repeat of the vote within 60 days.
IEBC then announced an October 17 date for that election, before later postponing it to October 26.
It also said it would only have President Uhuru Kenyatta and Odinga on the ballot, leaving out 6 contestants who participated in the initial election.
The main NASA opposition coalition however demanded changes at the electoral body before the vote is held. It went on to call for weekly protests to push for the reforms.
On Tuesday, Odinga announced that he had withdrawn his candidature.
On Wednesday, a flurry of events transpired in the East African country, with a minor presidential candidate winning a case to have his name included in the ballot for the repeat poll.
Confusion the reigned in the country as political divides gave differing implications for Odinga’s withdrawal and the court ruling.
NASA has however called for daily protests starting next week to push for reforms at the electoral body.
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE FORTHCOMING FRESH PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION pic.twitter.com/jWA8kov1tI
— IEBC (@IEBCKenya) October 11, 2017
