Government Announces New Public Holiday

The Government has declared Thursday, October 26th a public holiday.

Acting Interior CS Fred Matiang'i on Thursday gazetted the election day as a holiday to enable Kenyans to participate in the repeat polls.

The announcement comes amid political uncertainty in the country ahead of the polls.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati expressed frustration in planning for the repeat polls declaring that he can't assure a credible election.

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Speaking at the Bomas of Kenya on Wednesday, Mr Chebukati explained that with the heightened political tension in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga must meet and dialogue before the repeat election.

"Political and economic problems can’t be fixed through elections or legal mechanisms alone. As the referee of this contest, I am extending an open invitation to the candidates to a meeting that I will preside over so they can talk,” he stated.

However, there has been a stand-off between the two with President Kenyatta declaring that he would only dialogue with the opposition leader on how to maintain peace ahead of the fresh elections slated for next week.

Speaking during a joint interview with Chamgei FM and Kass FM, Kenyatta stated that he would not hold talks with Mr Odinga on matters regarding the deferral of the set election date.

"The only thing I can dialogue with Raila about is conducting peaceful polls and keeping our country together ahead of the elections," he declared.

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On the other hand, National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) chairman Francis Ole Kaparo has expressed concerns over the looming consequences of the ongoing political contest.

"The Commission condemns increasing level of ethnic and political polarization, loss of human lives, intolerance, hooliganism and wanton destruction of property during the anti-IEBC demonstrations. We are strongly saddened by the loss of lives in the various protests.

"The current political climate indeed strikingly resembles the period prior to 2007/2008 post-election violence. Allowed to take root, the current political dynamics will catastrophically roll back the gains we have made as a nation to build a cohesive, peaceful and prosperous country," Mr Kaparo stated.

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