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WORLD NEWS Thursday 7 sepTember 2017

Kenya’s electoral body changes team to oversee new vote

By TOM ODULA
Associated Press
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ke-
nya’s electoral commission
has announced changes
in its top personnel to over-
see the new presidential
election next month, while
campaigning officially be-
gan Wednesday.
Six officials have been ap-
pointed to run the new
vote ordered by the Su-
preme Court after it nul-
lified President Uhuru Ke-
nyatta’s re-election, a
statement by commission
Chairman Wafula Chebu-
kati said Tuesday.
The appointments appear
to be in response to op-
position leader Raila Odin-
ga’s demands for reforms
to the commission before Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta gestures
the new election on Oct. to his supporters after addressing them on a street in Ongata Rongai, on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017.
17. Kenya’s electoral commission has announced changes in its top personnel to oversee the new presidential election next month,
Kenyatta’s Jubilee party month’s vote “are peo- Aug. 8 vote in would with some observers call-
objected to the chang- ple known to be partisan.” court, did not immediately announce its position later. ing it a first for Africa.
es, claiming in a letter to The letter did not give de- comment on the changes The court’s decision on Odinga continues to de-
the commission chairman tails. to the electoral commis- Friday that the electoral mand access to the elec-
on Wednesday that nine Odinga, who had chal- sion. His spokesman Dennis commission committed ir- toral commission’s servers
of the people listed on lenged the results of the Onyango said the National regularities in last month’s as ordered by the court.
the project team for next Super Alliance coalition vote shocked the country, A separate statement by

Thousands protest in Togo demanding presidential term limits

By ERICK KAGLAN Gnassingbe from running parties called for the dem- “We have been asking for tional amendment for the
Associated Press for a fourth term in 2020 onstrations. While Gnass- political reforms since Faure limitation of mandates,
LOME, Togo (AP) — Thou- elections. ingbe has not said he Gnassingbe came to pow- calling it an initiative “to
sands of people in Togo Security forces killed at would run again in 2020, er in 2005 but he managed favor the preservation of a
took to the streets Wednes- least two people and in- the opposition National to dodge us since then,” climate of peace and se-
day to demand presiden- jured several others during Panafrican Party has said said Tikpi Atchadam, who renity.”
tial term limits as anger similar demonstrations in it suspects he will not quit leads the National Panaf- Two years ago a similar bill
grows in the small West August, Amnesty Interna- power unless compelled to rican Party. “Now we are was rejected in Parliament,
African nation over the tional said. Dozens were step down. simply demanding a return where the ruling party holds
50-year-rule of the Gnass- sent to prison for up to 60 Gnassingbe’s father, Ey- to the 1992 constitution.” a majority of seats.
ingbe family. months, according to the adema, ruled for 38 years Wednesday’s protests took “(The president) can de-
Internet service was down human rights group. until his death in 2005. Be- place in the capital, Lome, ceive us once or twice, but
and phone connections The government con- fore his death, he modified and in other cities as well as he is not going to deceive
were sporadic, but that demned the August pro- the constitution to extend in Ghana and Gabon. us again this time around,”
didn’t stop the scheduled tests, with the interior min- his rule. The constitution The government an- said opposition leader
demonstrations aimed at ister calling them extremist. had allowed for only two nounced late Tuesday that Jean Pierre Fabre, who led
preventing President Faure A coalition of opposition presidential terms. it had drafted a constitu- Wednesday’s protests.q