Nasa leaders want reforms at IEBC before repeat presidential election

IEBC Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba; Nasa leaders want him out of office before repeat presidential election

NAIROBI, KENYA:  The National Super Alliance coalition (Nasa) supporters and leaders took to the streets of Nairobi on Monday demanding exit of top Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials.

Carrying placards, they marched along university way in Nairobi chanting no reforms, no election slogans.

Police surrounded the Anniversary Towers which hosts the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission offices. Notable leaders present during the Nairobi Nasa protest included Senator James Orengo, Johnstone Muthama, Gladys Wanga, Esther Passaris, Ken Okoth, and Babu Owino among others.

Homa Bay County representative Gladys Wanga said there will be no repeat election on October 26 unless Nasa demands are attained.

“There will be no election on October 26, only President Uhuru’s Birthday will happen on that particular day, unless our irreducible minimums are met,” she said.

The protesters gathered at Uhuru Park later where they were addressed by leaders including former Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, James Orengo among others.

Siaya Senator James Orengo warned Jubilee lawmakers against passing a proposed amendment to the election laws that would limit circumstances in which the Supreme Court could nullify an election.

Similar protests were witnessed in opposition strongholds of Mombasa, Vihiga, and Kisumu.

In Kisumu, police used teargas and gunfire to drive the anti-IEBC demonstrators out of town. Businesses remained closed in the lakeside town and its transport paralysed.

Kenya’s Supreme Court nullified the August 8 presidential election in which IEBC declared Uhuru Kenyatta winner of the hotly contested race. The Court directed the commission to repeat presidential election within 60 days.

Nasa coalition leader Raila Odinga has said several times he will only run against President Uhuru Kenyatta if all of his “irreducible minimums” presented to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) are met.