A meeting between the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), African Union (AU) officials and the Council of Kenya Professionals (CKP), in Ethiopia. [Photo|Ababu Namwamba]Kenya has been put on the spot, by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU), as Kenyans head to the ballot, Thursday.The two organisations have asked the country to maintain peace during and after Thursday’s fresh presidential election, or face unspecified sanctions against leaders who may use unconstitutional and unlawful means to ascend to power.Speaking when the Council of Kenya Professionals (CKP) presented a petition to the two organisations, AU Commission Deputy Chairperson Thomas Kwesi Quartey, said Kenyans who wanted to vote should be allowed, since it is their democratic right."It is that vote that is an expression of Kenyan sovereignty and Kenyan leadership in Africa," he said.
CKP, led by Ababu Namwamba, Danson Mungatana, and Ekwee Ethuro, presented a petition to urge the AU and IGAD, to initiate sanctions, and travel bans, to Opposition leader Raila Odinga, should Kenya slide to anarchy following the anti-October election countrywide demonstrations he called for.They also presented a similar petition to IGAD Senior Political Advise, Daniel Yifru.