Kenya announced a ban on Thursday on demonstrations in the central business districts of key cities including Nairobi citing lawlessness during opposition rallies against the electoral commission ahead of a scheduled presidential poll re-run. Kenya has been embroiled in a deepening stand-off between the ruling party and the opposition over a presidential election re-run.
According to Reuters, Kenya’s Internal Security Minister Fred Matiang‘i said protesters who violated the ban in Nairobi, the western city of Kisumu and the coastal city of Mombasa would be held personally liable for any damage.
“Due to the clear, present and imminent danger of breach of peace, the government notifies the public that, for the time being, we will not allow demonstrations within the central business districts of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu,” said Security Minister Fred Matiangi.
The three cities are strongholds of opposition support, and have seen repeated confrontations between riot police and opposition supporters in recent weeks.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition leader Raila Odinga were due to go to the polls in a repeat presidential election on Oct. 26, after the Supreme Court nullified Kenyatta’s win in Aug. 8 polls over procedural irregularities.
But this week Odinga announced he was withdrawing from the race, throwing the East African nation into political turmoil. Kenya is a regional and trade gateway.
On Wednesday, the election board said the polls would be held anyway, and all eight of the original presidential candidates would be on the ballot. In August, only Odinga and Kenyatta polled more than one percent.
Odinga’s opposition alliance called for demonstrations demanding electoral reforms and new elections, raising fears of further clashes between his supporters and police.
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