Kenyan Opposition Calls For Mass Protests Over New Election Law, Says It’s A Way Of Rigging

Raila Odinga, Kenya's former prime minister and leader of the opposition Cord alliance, has called for mass action to protest against changes to electoral laws ahead of the presidential poll next year.

It follows a bitter dispute in parliament as the ruling Jubilee party passed a law to allow the use of manual systems during next year's election.  

The government wants a back-up to the electronic system but the opposition says it is a way of rigging the poll.

Writing on his official Facebook page, Mr Odinga said:


The Jubilee brigade today proved to Kenyans that they have no interest in free and fair elections. In forcing through the amendments to the Election Laws that had been carefully negotiated between all political actors in the country, they revealed the duplicitous nature of this regime.
Mr Odinga then called for "peaceful, non-violent and legal mass action across the country, starting on 4 January, adding:

Elections can no longer be rituals to impose the will of a few on the majority of Kenyans."