Kenya: Opposition condemns murder of electoral official

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenya’s main opposition party on Monday condemned the brutal murder of a top official from the national elections board who went missing on Friday.

The body of Chris Msando, acting director of information and communications technology of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), was found earlier Monday, tortured and killed and dumped in a forest on the outskirts of the capital Nairobi one week before Kenya’s general elections.

“Mr. Msando had actually made reports to the police at the central police station indicating that his life was in danger,” National Super Alliance (NASA) Co-Principal Musalia Mudavadi told a news conference in Nairobi.

Kenyan electoral body officials must “be granted proper security. All of them should feel safe so they can conduct a free and fair election,” he added.

Human Rights Watch also urged the Kenyan government to investigate the killing of Msando, calling him “pivotal to managing the August elections”.

The U.S. and Britain also offered help in finding the culprits behind the brutal murder.

Kenyans are scheduled to vote in legislative and presidential elections on Aug. 8.