Kenya court, parliament muddy election waters after Odinga pulls out

AKenyancourtsaid on Wednesday an also-ran candidate in August's presidentialelections could contest this month's re-run, a dayafterthe main opposition leader pulledout.

But the HighCourtruling in favour of Ekuru Aukot failed to dispel concerns abouthow a deepening political crisis would playout, as he said he had doubts aboutstanding while opposition supporters gathered in response to calls to demonstrate for electoral reform.

The repeatelectionbetween incumbent President UhuruKenyatta and challenger RailaOdinga was scheduled for Oct. 26,afterthe SupremeCourtannulled the original ballot -- in which Kenyatta was declared the winner -- due to procedural irregularities.

Odingasaid on Tuesday he was withdrawing amid concerns that the re-run would not be free and fair, renewing calls for a new electoral board (IEBC), whose current members he blamed for the irregularities, to be appointed.

Furthermuddying the politicalwaters,parliamentpassed an amendment on Wednesday to the country'selectionlaws, saying that if one candidate withdrew from a repeat presidentialelection, the other one would automatically win.

Once the president signed it, the law would immediately take effect, saidparliamentary spokesman Martin Mutua.

The vote was boycotted by opposition lawmakers.

UNEASE

Tuesday's declaration byOdingafed into a mood of unease that has stoked citizens' fears over a potential descent into violence and blunted growth in East Africa's richest nation, a long-time ally of the West.

A repeat of the widespread ethnic clashes that killed 1,200 people followed a disputed presidential poll in 2007 appears unlikely at this stage.

But at least 37 people were killed in protests immediately following the vote, almost all of them by police, aKenyan rights group said Monday. Opposition supporters on Wednesday again demonstrated for changes at the electoral board.

Protesters lit bonfires in Kisumu, anOdingastronghold in the country's west, while hundreds of other supporters gathered in the main park in the capital Nairobi.

"We want a reformed IEBC," said Elisha Odhiambo, an opposition legislator, referring to the electoral board, which has frequently relied on riot police dispersing protestsoutside its offices in recent weeks.

Aukot told reportersoutside the HighCourtthat he still had concerns aboutthe board and would issue a statement in a day or two giving clarity abouthis plans.

Justice John Mativo said earlier he could "find nothing to bar the petitioner (Aukot) from contesting the freshelection."

It was unclear if other candidates from the first ballot with little support would also seek to be included, but theelectionboard said it still had time to print ballot papers.

The Sept. 1 SupremeCourtjudgement that nullifiedKenyatta's 1.4 million vote win also stipulated elections had to be held within 60 days.

If that schedule is not met, the constitution provides for the speaker ofparliament, a member of Kenyatta's party, to take power.