Police use tear gas on demonstrators in Nairobi

Kenyan police used teargas on Friday (October 13) to disperse protesters in the country’s three main cities, as a standoff between the government and opposition leaders over a planned repeat presidential election continued.

On Thursday (October 12), the government banned demonstrations in the central business districts of the capital Nairobi, the coastal city of Mombasa and the western city of Kisumu. The interior minister said demonstrators had damaged and looted property.

A repeat presidential election pitting is scheduled for Oct. 26 after the Supreme Court nullified the result of an August poll in which incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta beat veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga, citing irregularities.

But Odinga withdrew from the race this week, saying the election board had failed to institute reforms to ensure a free and fair election. His opposition alliance called for demonstrations demanding a new election with a new election board instead.