Opposition leader Raila Odinga urged Kenyans to boycott Thursday’s repeat presidential election, saying he would lead a campaign of civil disobedience.
Odinga spoke shortly after the Supreme Court said it was unable to consider a last-minute appeal to delay the vote after five out of seven judges failed to turn up.
The repeat election was ordered by the Supreme Court on Sept. 1 after judges nullified the results of the Aug. 8 presidential contest on procedural grounds. The election commission had said Odinga lost to President Uhuru Kenyatta by 1.4 million votes.
Odinga is refusing to participate in Thursday’s contest because he says the election commission has failed to implement reforms to prevent it being, once again, marred by irregularities.
“We advise Kenyans who value democracy and justice to hold vigil and prayers away from polling stations, or just stay at home,” he told a cheering crowd in Nairobi’s Uhuru Park, backing away from previous promise to call large-scale protests.
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“Convince your friends, neighbors and everyone else not to participate,” he said in English. If they support the president, he cautioned: “do not insult or assault them. Instead, seek to open their eyes.”
But several speakers who preceded him gave speeches in KiSwahili calling on opposition supporters not to allow people to vote.
With the Supreme Court unable to hear petitions to delay the vote, election officials said it would go ahead, regardless of Odinga’s decision.
The head of the national election board, Wafula Chebukati, said the vote would proceed even if some polling stations were unable to open. “In cases where there will be problems (delivering materials)…the polling officer will have the right to inform us and polling can be suspended to another day.”
Seeking to explain the Supreme Court’s absences, Chief Justice David Maraga said one judge was unwell, another was abroad and another was unable to attend after her bodyguard was shot and wounded on Tuesday night. It was unclear why the others did not show up.
Turmoil ahead of the election prompted the U.S. State Department to issue a statement saying it was “deeply concerned” by efforts by both parties to undermine the independence of the electoral commission. It condemned the attack on the deputy chief justice’s bodyguard and urged Kenyans to reject violence.
