This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
On September 26, 2017, opposition leader Raila Amolo Odinga announced his withdrawal from the repeat presidential election, scheduled for October 26 of the same year.
Speaking at the National Super Alliance – NASA headquarters, Odinga stated that by withdrawing from the repeat election, he was giving the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) a chance to conduct fresh elections that would include other candidates.
"We have made this decision in the best interest of the nation," Odinga said in a statement read to the press on Tuesday.
Odinga blamed the international community for siding with individuals who he claimed were hell-bent on eroding Kenya's democracy. He also emphasized that another election would be meaningful only if the IEBC undertook key reforms to prevent the irregularities and illegalities committed in the recent general election.
The opposition's move came just 15 days before the repeat election, throwing the country into a crisis.
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