Odinga calls for new Kenya electoral commission

Kenya’s losing presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, has called for the country’s electoral commission to be reconstituted to guarantee credible results in future elections.

He was narrowly defeated in last month’s poll by William Ruto – a result that was confirmed by the Supreme Court after Mr Odinga launched a legal challenge.

However, he has described the 9 August elections as the worst in Kenya’s history.

Addressing a meeting in parliament, the veteran politician urged legislators allied to the opposition coalition to push for electoral reforms. He said concerns about the integrity of the election process have not been addressed.

Mr Odinga termed the Supreme Court’s judgement on the election as a blow for democracy in Kenya and Africa.

He accused the judiciary of corruption, intimidation, thuggery and failure to assert their independence.

The former Kenyan prime minister has warned that the country risks sliding back to the single party era where citizens were muzzled over what he described as outright injustice.