KENYA: Protesters demand inquiry into murder of election official

Protesters marched on the offices of Kenya’s election commission on Tuesday, demanding a speedy investigation of the murder of a senior official that has raised fears over the legitimacy of next week’s national elections.  Chris Msando, the election board’s head of information, communication and technology, was found murdered on Monday. He had been tortured before […]

Protesters marched on the offices of Kenya’s election commission on Tuesday, demanding a speedy investigation of the murder of a senior official that has raised fears over the legitimacy of next week’s national elections. 

Chris Msando, the election board’s head of information, communication and technology, was found murdered on Monday. He had been tortured before he was killed, authorities said. 

Msando oversaw the live transmission of election results, a contentious area that the opposition has said could be used to rig next Tuesday’s presidential and parliamentary polls. 

The presidential race is very close: Opposition leader Raila Odinga is favored by 49 percent of voters compared with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 48 percent, according to a poll of 5,000 Kenyans across 47 counties released on Tuesday by Infotrak Research and Consulting. 

The close race, the murder, and a history of malfunctions of election equipment have raised tensions in Kenya and provoked a storm of speculation on social media.