1st LD Writethru: One dead, scores injured in anti-electoral body's protests in Kenya

One person was killed and scores injured in Kenya during countrywide protests to press for the removal of the top electoral body, officials and witnesses said on Monday.

The security officers fired teargas and beat opposition protesters in the capital Nairobi and other counties with truncheons during the demonstrations called by opposition leaders to press for the removal of Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC)'s top officials.

Witnesses confirmed one person was killed in Kisumu in western Kenya after anti-riot police officers beat up the opposition supporter on the head, leaving him dead.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that one of the victims, who had been rushed to the hospital, succumbed to serious head injuries while the others were taken to the county hospital.

A number of businesses in the central business district of the lakeside city, Kakamega and Siaya counties in western Kenya which is the stronghold of the opposition leaders remained closed as police lobbed teargas to disperse the protestors.

Two opposition supporters were shot while several injured by the police during anti-IEBC protests in Siaya. Reports say the two succumbed to gunshot injuries.

Reports of police using live bullets were also reported in Kisumu, Kakamega and the coastal city of Mombasa where scores of people sustained gunshot injuries. The hospital said the man who succumbed to injuries may have been hit with a blunt object.

Opposition leader Raila Odinga and their supporters have vowed to continue with anti-IEBC protests every Mondays to force the commissioners out of office.

The government had mobilized police officers to guard the IEBC offices ahead of the planned CORD protest. The officers were under instructions not to allow any protester near the premises.

The opposition has been calling for the disbandment of IEBC over alleged corruption and bias and the current standoff resulted from the rejection of the signatures for a constitutional referendum.

Kakamega County Senator Dr Bonny Khalwale, a vocal opposition leader, was arrested while leading demonstrations in Kakamega County. Khalwale was taken to police custody as police lobbed teargas to disperse demonstrators.

In Nairobi, the protesters engaged police in running battles along Nairobi streets with the police saying they will not allow any protesters around the Anniversary Towers, the IEBC headquarters.

The situation was tense in the city centre with police lobbying teargas to disband CORD supporters even before their leaders - Prime Minister Raila Odinga, ex-Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and former foreign affairs Minister Moses Wetangula. Endit