afrol News, 3 October - Kenyan government has sent protest notes to United States (US) and European Union (EU) following pressure for Kenya's electoral commissioner Samuel Kivitu to resign over last year's unsatisfactory polls.

According to Kenyan foreign minister Moses Wetangula, Mr Kivuitu had been threatened with a travel ban, which was "shameless blackmail" and an insult to public.

However, diplomatic sources say no such travel threat was made.

Kenya's Electoral Commission (ECK) was heavily criticised over last year's polls, which led to deadly political violence.

A report issued last month indicated that there was no evidence that ECK was guilty of rigging poll results in favour of president Mwai Kibaki or any other candidate.

But report did call for a radical overhaul of electoral body.

"I am not defending Mr Kivuitu and his team, I am simply protecting our sovereignty," Minister Wetangula was quoted as saying.

"US embassy is outraged, as most Kenyans are, by audacious and blatant breach of protocol by some ambassadors who reportedly visited chairman of ECK and demanded his immediate resignation, short of which he would face travel ban to their respective countries," statement said.

It however noted that it could not discuss visa applications, adding that during December last year, "lack of transparency and accountability in election vote tallying process seriously compromised credibility of results".

It further said, "Commissioners have lost confidence of Kenyan people and must be held accountable."

More than 1,500 people reportedly died in clashes following claims that poll was rigged, and violence also displaced another 600,000 people.

After international mediation, president Kibaki and then opposition leader Raila Odinga signed a power-sharing deal in February, forming a coalition government in which Mr Odinga became prime minister.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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