Kenyan police fired teargas on Tuesday at supporters of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who were protesting outside the Supreme Court against the invalidation of his Aug. 8 re-election, Reuters witnesses said.
The Supreme Court nullified the presidential election on Sept. 1 and ordered the electoral body to hold a repeat vote within 60 days.
The court, which issued a majority judgment, said there were irregularities in tallying results of the poll.
David Maraga, the Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, said threats against judicial staff had risen since the ruling.
“Since the Supreme Court delivered judgment, these threats have become more aggressive,” Maraga said at a news conference at the Supreme Court, as hundreds of protesters wearing the bright red of Kenyatta’s Jubilee party gathered outside.
He cited the demonstrations outside the court as an example of the rising threats, and threatening messages sent on social media to individual judges and their staff.
“Senior political leaders have also threatened the Judiciary, promising ‘to cut it down to size’ and ‘teach us a lesson’,” Maraga said, vowing that the judiciary would not be intimidated by anyone.
They protesters waved placards and shouted slogans against the judiciary and Maraga himself.
“I have attended this protest to air my grievances after the Supreme Court annulled my candidate’s victory,” one of the protesters said.
There was a commotion after the teargas was fired, before the protesters regrouped and continued with their protest outside the court building.
The Supreme Court, which gave a summary of its findings when it invalidated Kenyatta’s election victory, said it would read its detailed ruling on Wednesday at 0700 GMT.
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