Opposition leader Raila Odinga has pulled out of the presidential election re-run ordered by Kenya’s Supreme Court.
After the original 8 August vote, the country’s electoral commission said Mr Kenyatta had won by 1.4 million votes (or 54% of the total), compared to Mr Odinga’s 44%.
However, the Supreme Court annulled the result of the poll after finding irregularities. It was the first time a court had overturned the results of a presidential election in Africa.
The election re-run was due to take place on 26 October, but Mr Odinga said today (10 October): “We have come to the conclusion that there is no intention on the part of the IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) to undertake any changes to its operations and personnel… All indications are that the election scheduled for 26 October will be worse than the previous one.”
As a result, he said, “considering the interests of the people of Kenya, the region and the world at large” it was best that he withdrew from the race.
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