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Kenyan Opposition Wants International Help With Post-Election Violence

Clashes between opposition supporters and police reportedly left 18 people dead Friday.
Posted at 2:04 PM, Nov 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-19 14:04:52-05

Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga called for international intervention in the country's worsening electoral crisis on Sunday.

Odinga made the statement following clashes between his supporters and police that left 18 people dead.

Tensions between supporters of Odinga and President Uhuru Kenyatta have been on the rise in the country since Kenya's supreme court nullified the results of August's presidential election.

Kenyatta got about 54 percent of the vote, while Odinga got around 45 percent. Odinga and his supporters said they didn't accept the results despite independent observers saying the election was conducted fairly.

It's estimated almost 70 people were killed following the first election. A second election, which Kenyatta also won, took place in October. More protests and violence followed that vote.

There's some worry that Kenya might be headed for a repeat of the violence that followed its 2007 contested election that killed more than 1,000 people.

Kenya's Supreme Court is now looking into nullifying the October election as well. It's expected to rule Monday.