Kenyan rerun: death threats and division put poll on knife’s edge
Nairobi — Death threats to top members of Kenya’s electoral body are endangering preparations for a rerun of August’s annulled presidential election, a senior official at the authority said. The relatives of one administrator at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) fled the country after their lives were threatened, while chairman Wafula Chebukati made additional security arrangements for his family, said the official, who asked not to be identified citing personal safety reasons. "The fact that there’s a split at the IEBC and the fact that threats are being made to specific commissioners means we have external influences controlling the IEBC," said Dismas Mokua, an analyst at Nairobi-based risk-advisory firm Trintari. "There’s a very high risk that the wrangling between the commissioners and the external influences may compromise the ability of the IEBC to prepare a free, fair and credible election." The election is scheduled for October 17. The seven-member c...
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