Protest over Kenyan election official's brutal murder

Protesters have demanded a speedy inquiry after a
top official was murdered just over a week before
the national elections.
The body of Chris Msando had been tortured before
his death, authorities said. His body was found next
to a woman, Caro Ngumbu, who had been shot in the
head.
Mr Msando managed electronic systems for verifying
voters and counting ballots at the electoral
commission.
He had publicly assured people that the election
results would not be tampered with.
A small group of activists responded to the news of
his killing by marching on the offices of Kenya's
election commission on Tuesday.
They chanted for justice and against corruption,
holding signs that read "we will not be intimidated".
"In Kenya we have a grim tradition of senior public
officials dying, disappearing or generally being
murdered and that is destabilising," said John
Githongo, a civil rights activist who was protesting.
"The timing of his torture and murder serves to
undermine Kenya's election management body."
Protesters took to the streets demanding an
inquiry
Kenyans will vote in the tightly contested race
between current President Uhuru Kenyatta and
opposition leader Raila Odinga next week.
Mr Kenyatta said he was "deeply shocked" by Mr
Msando's death, and warned against "careless
speculation" while urging that the elections "proceed
calmly".
Electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati
said the death was a "brutal murder" and called for
security for his staff.
Opposition figures have said the murder suggests a
threat to the fairness of the election.
"The murder has jeopardised Kenyan's faith in the
credibility of the electoral process," Musalia
Mudavadi, an ally of Mr Odinga said, as he called for
an international expert to oversee electronic vote-
counting systems.
Mr Msando's death comes after a gunman invaded
the home of deputy president William Ruto on
Saturday, killing a police officer.
Recent months have seen reports of voter
intimidation and violence, which has displaced people
from where they are registered to vote.
Observers are also fearful that vote-buying, or using
the names of deceased people could be used to
unfairly sway the vote.
The computerised systems Mr Msando managed were
designed to tackle such problems.
In 2007, electoral violence killed more than 1,100
people in Kenya and drove some 600,000 from their
homes.

Tweet