Nairobi — Kenya’s Senate passed contentious amendments to the nation’s election laws that the opposition says could aid the ruling party rig a ballot to be held in August. The amendments to the electoral law provide for a manual mechanism for voter registration and transmission of the results as a back-up should electronic methods fail. The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy, Kenya’s main political opposition group, says the changes may open the electoral system to abuse by enabling the registration of dead people or under-aged voters. The proposed changes were approved by the National Assembly last month. CORD, led by ex-Premier Raila Odinga, has threatened nationwide protests should President Uhuru Kenyatta sign the amendments into law. Kenyatta, 55, is seeking a second term at general polls on August 8. He won the 2013 presidential elections with 50.07%, followed by Odinga, who got 43.3%. The passing of the laws without bipartisan support signals that East Africa’s biggest econo...
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