NAIROBI, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's electoral body said Wednesday that the repeat presidential elections slated for Thursday will take place as planned.
The announcement came after Kenya's Supreme Court on Wednesday failed to rule on a petition seeking to stop Thursday's repeat presidential election, citing a lack of judges.
The Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati however said the election may be postponed in areas where delivery of materials and voting may be affected by insecurity.
"Based on the assurance we have received from security agencies, election will be held tomorrow," Chebukati told journalists in Nairobi ahead of the exercise from which opposition leader Raila Odinga had withdrawn, citing lack of reforms at the IEBC.
Odinga who took part in the nullified Aug 8 general elections has called on his supporters to boycott Thursday's repeat poll due to failure by the electoral body to conduct reforms and take action on those accused by the opposition of bungling the previous polls.
Chebukati said tough decisions must be made adding that all polling stations will open at 6 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
"In cases where there are problems in voting, polling officers will inform us and polling will be suspended to a later date," he said and called on the police to exercise restraint when breaking up protests across the country.
The IEBC said it had already dispatched officials and election materials in most counties to be distributed in polling stations.
