May 23, 2016

Three Kenyan protesters were shot dead during demonstrations by opposition supporters in the western towns of Kisumu and Siaya, as protests demanding reforms to the country’s electoral authority gather pace in East Africa’s biggest economy, according to reports. Police also fired teargas at demonstrating supporters of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy party in Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa.

The protests are led by opposition leader Raila Odinga, who lost the most recent election in 2013 to President Uhuru Kenyatta, according to AP. Odinga said polls in 2017 cannot be free and fair if the current election commission remains in place and called for the commissioners to be removed from office.

: A woman leads a school pupil away from teargas and a burning barricade in Kibera slum, during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: An opposition protester wearing a T-shirt of opposition leader Raila Odinga holds a rock, as he and others tried to gather outside the offices of the electoral commission before being tear-gassed away by police, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: Kenyan police fire tear gas to disperse a small group of opposition protesters who tried to gather outside the offices of the electoral commission, in downtown Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: A woman takes advantage of a lull in the clashes to carry her baby to safety, as police firing tear gas engage protesters throwing rocks in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: A woman resident talks with police as they engage in running battles between police firing tear gas and protesters throwing rocks, in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: Kenyan policemen charge towards where protesters had lit a burning barricade, during running battles between police firing tear gas and protesters throwing rocks, in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya, Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: Kenyan police charge as they engage in running battles between police firing tear gas and protesters throwing rocks, in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: Opposition supporters, flee from exploding tear gas grenades fired by riot police, during a protest in Kibera Slums, Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. The protests, held every Monday for the past four weeks, come before elections next year and are organized by Kenya’s main opposition group the Coalitions for Reforms and Democracy. (AP Photo/Sayyid Azim)

: A Kenyan policeman wears a gas mask as he stands in from of a milk dispenser at a kiosk, during running battles between police firing tear gas and protesters throwing rocks, in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya Monday, May 23, 2016. Kenya’s police shot, beat and tear gassed opposition demonstrators across the country who tried to gather to call for the electoral commission to be dissolved due to allegations of bias and corruption. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

: A man with his children walks past anti riot police dispersing opposition supporters demanding a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year, on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / SIMON MAINA)

: A protestor gestures in Kibera slum during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: Riot policemen walk towards a burning barricade in Kibera slum, Nairobi on May 23, 2016 during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: Riot policemen patrol in Kibera slum, Nairobi on May 23, 2016 during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters.There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: A protestor stands by a burning barricade in Kibera slum during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: Opposition supporters protest for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters.There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / TONY KARUMBA)

: Adults and schoolchildren walk past riot policemen in Kibera slum, Nairobi on May 23, 2016 during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: A woman carrying a child walks past riot policemen as they stand guard during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year, in Kibera slum, Nairobi on May 23, 2016. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters.There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / KEVIN MIDIGO)

: A riot policeman throws a teargas grenade at protestors during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership at the electoral commission ahead of a vote due next year, in Kibera slum, Nairobi on May 23, 2016. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters.There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: A boy runs past a burning barricade in Kibera slum during a demonstration of opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters.There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / CARL DE SOUZA)

: Anti riot police forces disperse opposition supporters protesting for a change of leadership ahead of a vote due next years on May 23, 2016 in Nairobi. Local media reported at least one killed in Kisumu in the west of the country, while police in Nairobi and the second city of Mombasa fought running battles with small groups of protesters. There was no immediate police confirmation of the reported death. Police had banned the planned demonstrations and scores of officers in riot gear guarded the building that houses the election commission headquarters in the centre of the capital. (AFP PHOTO / SIMON MAINA)

Kenyan police crack down on anti-corruption protesters

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