On Tuesday, at a news conference in Nairobi, the opposition leader Raila Odinga announced his withdrawal from the presidential election. Odinga said that he was boycotting the polls because his demands for electoral reform had not been met.
This event has raised questions about what will actually happen with the vote.
Therefore, what really seemed to be a significant step forward for democracy in the whole Africa was thrown into chaos when Odinga quitted the elections. According to Mr. Odinga, his withdrawal must provide the electoral commission with enough time to set up all the necessary reforms that must deliver a more convincing election.
Such a weird declaration appeared a month and a half after the Supreme Court canceled history the election of the current President Kenyatta, ordering a new one, in response to complaints of voting wrongdoings.
According to professor of modern African history at Durham University in Britain, Justin Willis, the Supreme Court verdict was impulsive, and it is still unpredictable what it will lead to. As it was stated by the electoral commission results, Kenyatta won the August election by 54% of the total amount to Odinga’s 45%. William Ruto, Kenya’s vice-president, called on the commission to announce Kenyatta president as a result of Odinga’s declaration.
With Odinga’s pulling out, the Court will decide once again what happens after that. The court can allow Mr. Kenyatta to run on his own, naming him a winner. Otherwise, the Supreme Court can open the vote to weaker candidates who had originally run. It will most probably also result in a victory for the current president. Moreover, judges can appoint new election in 60 days.
As TUKO Newspaper has managed to find out, Mr. Odinga is running low on campaign money. Therefore, his pulling out can be directly connected with tactical reasons. Political experts declare that this withdrawal is a particular strategy for Raila Odinga to leave the political scene on his terms. The cancellation of Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory in August election is a much-needed political high for Mr. Odinga. The legal consequences of Odinga’s pulling out are still indistinct.
Constitutional lawyers keep on disputing on the way forward, and whether October 26 election can again take place and if, despite his withdrawal, Odinga will be on the ballot.
A few days ago, the current president Kenyatta had a rally. In particular, he told that his opponent was entirely free to pull out from the race if did not care about millions of Kenyans. “If he does not want elections, he should keep off and let the country move forward,” proclaimed Mr. Kenyatta. Moreover, he immediately responded to Odinga’s announcement by saying that his rival had used his Constitutional right to quit the race. The president of Kenya also added that such a withdrawal was the injustice because billions of dollars had already been spent to arrange the re-election. “That money would have been used to build roads,” Mr. Kenyatta emphasized.
Earlier, numerous international diplomats praised the initial vote. Now they blamed Kenya’s political leaders for not allowing the country to have the peaceful and smooth election.
A statement from several high-ranking diplomats representing Britain, United States, and the European Union says: “If the forthcoming election devolves into anarchy, the businesses, economy, jobholders, and all Kenyans will pay a heavy price.”
As we have informed earlier, Kenya’s government has officially forbidden all demonstrations in Mombasa, Nairobi, and Kisumu. According to Fred Matiang’i, the Interior Minister, the ban was aimed at defending both Kenyans and their possessions. Opposition supporters initiated numerous protests in three principal cities. They have already resulted in aggressive clashes with police.
