March 16, 2013

Summary

Violence and rioting broke out yesterday as students protest the Presidential Election result. Having found ballot boxes on campus, they believe themselves to have discovered evidence of vote rigging.

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Kenyatta University unrest, students against Presidential Election result

Kenyatta University unrest, students against Presidential Election result

Having discovered a room containing IEBC ballot boxes and papers, students at KU went on the rampage yesterday afternoon, burning two cars that allegedly belong to the IEBC and spilling over in to Thika highway causing traffic jams and re-routing.

The students presumably thought the IEBC materials were being hidden at the university and were therefore part of a cover up over the forthcoming investigation into whether Uhuru Kenyatta won the 2013 Presidential Election fairly.

However, both the university vice chancellor Olive Mugenda and Inspector General David Kimaiyo confirmed that the institution was legitimately being used by the IEBC as a tallying centre and had been hired from 22 Feb to 15 March. The rooms at KU had also been used as part of the mock election trial.

Odinga’s supporters rally in protest of 2013 Presidential Election results

Earlier this morning a few hours before CORD was originally due to hand in its petition at the Supreme Court, teargas was deployed by the police in an attempt to disperse crowds of Odinga supporters who had turned up to demonstrate. It was reported that one man, hit by a teargas canister was taken away for treatment. It now seems likely that the petition will now be filed tomorrow.

On the latest midday news bulletin the scenes outside the courts seemed to be well managed and peaceful. The Star reports that “No demonstrations will be allowed to take place today as CORD prepares to file its petition at the Supreme court challenging the results of the just concluded general election. Anti riot police have been deployed in strategic areas in Nairobi to deal with any demos.”

Update: Despite earlier reports and rumours it seems that CORD are filing the petition today, just after midday.

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