Two killed as police shoot at Cord protesters in Kisumu

At least two protesters were shot dead in a rally against the IEBC in Kisumu on Monday, an opposition official said.

Police had fired into the air to break up a crowd trying to march to the electoral body's office in the county, one witness told Reuters.

Protesters accusing the commission of pro-government bias are demanding its members resign before elections in August 2017..

They blocked roads with burning tyres in Migori, Kisumu and Nairobi's Kibera slum. "IEBC must go," demonstrators shouted.

There was no immediate police comment on the reported deaths.

But a witness said a man's body was lying on Oginga Odinga Street, and had a bullet wound in his chest.

Protestors carried the body from the vicinity of Imperial hotel and dumped it on the street.

One other person who was critically injured was rushed to Kisumu district hospital with a bullet wound in the stomach.

The protesters, who lit bonfires on the road, engaged police in running battles as they took over the town.

"Today the protesters are more than expected," the witness said.

One vehicle was torched as police shot in the air to disperse the protesters.

The countrywide protests saw hundreds of Kibera youths carry crude weapons, stones in sacks and sufurias.

On Thika Superhighway in Nairobi, youths from Mathare threw stones at vehicles, forcing motorists to look for alternative routes.

The High Court earlier declined to stop the protests but compelled IG Joseph Boinnet to provide security and ensure public safety .

Cord supporters defied a police ban on anti-IEBC protests and have taken to the streets in various counties, burning tyres and blocking roads.

Police had banned today's protests Cord leaders have defied past warnings insisting IEBC chairman Issack Hassan and his team of commissioners must leave.

Source