Kenyan Police clashed with both ruling party and opposition supporters ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of President Uhuru Kenyatta after an election marred by political unrest.
The Police fired teargas at opposition supporters who attempt to gather for a rally in honour of more than 50 persons killed during the four months of political unrest.
Meanwhile, chaos also erupted at the Kasarani Stadium as a crowd attempted to force its way into the venue of the ceremony, also prompting the police to fire teargas to disperse the crowd.
Joseph Irungu of the Interior Ministry Planning Committee had said there was space for Kenyatta’s supporters who cannot gain access to the stadium to view the ceremony from big screens. However, the big screens were reportedly not provided.
Democratic unrest
Uhuru Kenyatta’s inauguration comes after the Supreme Court validated his victory at the polls in last month’s re-run election.
The August 8 election had been annulled after Chief Justice David Maraga said it had not been “conducted in accordance with the constitution.”
The Supreme Court further ruled that the result had been “neither transparent nor verifiable”. The court ordered a re-run which was boycotted by the opposition, giving Uhuru Kenyatta an overwhelming victory of 98% of votes cast by below 39% of voters.
“A large part of the country did not vote – Kisumu being a major part that did not vote – and so we feel that it’s not time to move on. It will not be an easy thing to do,” a woman said.
The disputed elections have split the country along ethnic and regional lines, though the crisis has not reached the scale that accompanied the 2007 election where about 1,100 people were reportedly killed.
A public survey of elections by the Pan African Research Network showed that Africans distrust national electoral commissions and the quality of elections conducted.
A little over 40% of Africans in 36 countries believed that the last elections held in their country were free and fair; 25% said they trusted their electoral commissions while many described elections where bribery and media bias was rampant with voters often threatened with violence at the polls.
Several African nations’ elections have been marred by electoral and political unrest.
Uganda Presidential election was under tension with the detention of the leading opposition candidate, Kizza Essigye, a ban on social media and allegations of voter fraud.
President Yoweri Museveni, who was contesting for his fifth term in office after ruling the country for 30 years, said the ban on social media was “a security measure to avert lies intended to incite violence and illegal declaration of election results.”
In August 2016, clashes between opposition supporters and security forces broke out in Gabon after incumbent President Ali Bongo was declared winner of the election. Three persons were reportedly shot dead by security forces and many wounded.
Bongo won 49.80% against 48.23% of his rival, Jean Ping, adding another seven years to his family’s half-century rule of the Central African country after his father Omar Bongo had ruled the country for more than 40 years.
The Army fired stun grenades and tear gas at a crowd of people outside the headquarters of the electoral commission shouting “Ali must go!” According to Ping, they also fired live bullets, which he said killed three and wounded many. Bongo’s aides denied this and accused the opposition of fabricating rumors.
While the transition from one traditional leader to the other has been peaceful and celebrated, Africans cannot say same for democratic elections.
