This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41660880
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Kenya election official Roselyn Akombe flees to US | Kenya election official Roselyn Akombe flees to US |
| (8 days later) | |
| A senior member of Kenya's electoral commission (IEBC) has fled to the US amid death threats ahead of next week's presidential election re-run. | A senior member of Kenya's electoral commission (IEBC) has fled to the US amid death threats ahead of next week's presidential election re-run. |
| Roselyn Akombe said the IEBC was under political "siege", unable to reach consensus or take any decisions. | Roselyn Akombe said the IEBC was under political "siege", unable to reach consensus or take any decisions. |
| The IEBC said it regretted her decision to quit, while its chairman conceded that he could not guarantee that the poll would be credible. | The IEBC said it regretted her decision to quit, while its chairman conceded that he could not guarantee that the poll would be credible. |
| Last week, opposition leader Raila Odinga pulled out of the vote. | Last week, opposition leader Raila Odinga pulled out of the vote. |
| The Supreme Court annulled the result of the original 8 August poll, when current President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner, after finding irregularities and illegalities. | The Supreme Court annulled the result of the original 8 August poll, when current President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner, after finding irregularities and illegalities. |
| IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said he regretted Ms Akombe's decision to quit and warned Kenya's political leaders not to "interfere with the process". | IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said he regretted Ms Akombe's decision to quit and warned Kenya's political leaders not to "interfere with the process". |
| Speaking to BBC Newsday interview from New York, Ms Akombe recalled the murder of the election commission's IT head, Chris Msando, before the August poll. | Speaking to BBC Newsday interview from New York, Ms Akombe recalled the murder of the election commission's IT head, Chris Msando, before the August poll. |
| "You'll be suicidal to think that nothing will happen to you," she said. | "You'll be suicidal to think that nothing will happen to you," she said. |
| "I have never felt the kind of fear that I felt in my own country," Ms Akombe told the BBC. | "I have never felt the kind of fear that I felt in my own country," Ms Akombe told the BBC. |
| Can the election proceed? | Can the election proceed? |
| In a statement, Ms Akombe said she had agonised over the decision to leave the IEBC because "the commission in its current state can surely not guarantee a credible election". | In a statement, Ms Akombe said she had agonised over the decision to leave the IEBC because "the commission in its current state can surely not guarantee a credible election". |
| "There is a very high likelihood that the mistakes that some of the presiding officers made during the last election will be repeated," she told the BBC. | "There is a very high likelihood that the mistakes that some of the presiding officers made during the last election will be repeated," she told the BBC. |
| She said IEBC members had been voting along partisan lines, without discussing different issues on merit. | She said IEBC members had been voting along partisan lines, without discussing different issues on merit. |
| Commissioners and other IEBC personnel were facing intimidation by political actors and protesters, Ms Akombe said. | Commissioners and other IEBC personnel were facing intimidation by political actors and protesters, Ms Akombe said. |
| She added that the death threats were anonymous threats, and she had been put under pressure to resign. | She added that the death threats were anonymous threats, and she had been put under pressure to resign. |
| She said she did not "feel safe enough to be able to go home" in the foreseeable future. | She said she did not "feel safe enough to be able to go home" in the foreseeable future. |
| Where does this leave the commission's reputation? | Where does this leave the commission's reputation? |
| Dickens Olewe, BBC Kenya analyst | Dickens Olewe, BBC Kenya analyst |
| It is a big blow for the beleaguered commission, whose credibility had already taken a big hit after the Supreme Court annulled the 8 August election. | It is a big blow for the beleaguered commission, whose credibility had already taken a big hit after the Supreme Court annulled the 8 August election. |
| Ms Akombe's revelation that the commission is beset by internal wrangles and is pliable to partisan interests dispels any illusion that it is an independent body. | Ms Akombe's revelation that the commission is beset by internal wrangles and is pliable to partisan interests dispels any illusion that it is an independent body. |
| She also questioned the commission's leadership, saying Mr Chebukati was ineffectual. | She also questioned the commission's leadership, saying Mr Chebukati was ineffectual. |
| Mr Chebukati has given credence to this view. | Mr Chebukati has given credence to this view. |
| "I've made several attempts to make critical changes but all my motions have been defeated by a majority of the commissioners," AFP news agency has quoted him as saying. "Under such conditions, it's difficult to guarantee a free, fair and credible election." | "I've made several attempts to make critical changes but all my motions have been defeated by a majority of the commissioners," AFP news agency has quoted him as saying. "Under such conditions, it's difficult to guarantee a free, fair and credible election." |
| It is hard to imagine that the commission will recover from its problems to organise a credible election. | It is hard to imagine that the commission will recover from its problems to organise a credible election. |
| When it settled on 26 October as the date for the repeat election, President Kenyatta's supporters were quick to point out that it was also his birthday. | When it settled on 26 October as the date for the repeat election, President Kenyatta's supporters were quick to point out that it was also his birthday. |
| It seems right now that the only thing that is certain is that Mr Kenyatta will turn 56. | It seems right now that the only thing that is certain is that Mr Kenyatta will turn 56. |
| What does the president say? | What does the president say? |
| He has not yet commented on Ms Akombe's resignation or Mr Chebukati's criticisms. | He has not yet commented on Ms Akombe's resignation or Mr Chebukati's criticisms. |
| Instead, he has called on the nation to spend the weekend in an "extended period of prayer and reconciliation". | Instead, he has called on the nation to spend the weekend in an "extended period of prayer and reconciliation". |
| "We walk towards the declared date of the 26th of October both as a God-fearing leadership and government," Mr Kenyatta said in a televised speech. | "We walk towards the declared date of the 26th of October both as a God-fearing leadership and government," Mr Kenyatta said in a televised speech. |
| He has been criss-crossing the country as part of his election campaign, insisting that the poll will go ahead. | He has been criss-crossing the country as part of his election campaign, insisting that the poll will go ahead. |
| The IEBC has said that Mr Odinga's name will remain on the ballot paper, arguing that he has not filled in a legally required form to inform it of his decision to pull out. | The IEBC has said that Mr Odinga's name will remain on the ballot paper, arguing that he has not filled in a legally required form to inform it of his decision to pull out. |
| Mr Odinga insists that he does not need to fill in the form, and has organised mass protests to demand electoral reforms before a re-run is held. | Mr Odinga insists that he does not need to fill in the form, and has organised mass protests to demand electoral reforms before a re-run is held. |
| The IEBC also says that the names of five minor candidates - who obtained about 1% of the vote between them in the August poll - would appear on the ballot paper. A sixth minor candidate has been declared bankrupt since the August poll, disqualifying him from running again. | The IEBC also says that the names of five minor candidates - who obtained about 1% of the vote between them in the August poll - would appear on the ballot paper. A sixth minor candidate has been declared bankrupt since the August poll, disqualifying him from running again. |
| The electoral commission said Mr Kenyatta had won the August vote by a margin of 1.4 million votes - or 54% of the total, compared to Mr Odinga's 45%. | The electoral commission said Mr Kenyatta had won the August vote by a margin of 1.4 million votes - or 54% of the total, compared to Mr Odinga's 45%. |
| Could there be unrest? | Could there be unrest? |
| Human rights groups say about 50 people have been killed in protests since the August poll, and police were "directly implicated" in 33 of the deaths in the capital, Nairobi. | |
| The violence is nowhere near that seen in Kenya after disputed polls in 2007, when at least 1,200 people were killed. | The violence is nowhere near that seen in Kenya after disputed polls in 2007, when at least 1,200 people were killed. |
| In parts of western Kenya which back Mr Odinga, election officials have been intimidated, raising fears of more trouble on election day. | In parts of western Kenya which back Mr Odinga, election officials have been intimidated, raising fears of more trouble on election day. |
| "Demonstrations will continue. October 26 will be the biggest demonstration of them all," Mr Odinga told thousands of supporters in Nairobi on Wednesday. | "Demonstrations will continue. October 26 will be the biggest demonstration of them all," Mr Odinga told thousands of supporters in Nairobi on Wednesday. |