Kenya election official tortured, killed days before vote

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — An official crucial to running Kenya's presidential election next week has been found tortured and killed, the electoral commission chairman said today, as concerns grew the East African nation's vote again would face dangerous unrest.

Wafula Chebukati helped identify the body of Christopher Msando at the city morgue and said he had injuries to the neck and head. Msando had been reported missing a few days ago.

"This is a brutal murder of our employee and we are demanding to know who killed him and why," Chebukati said. "We are demanding government provide security to all IEBC [electoral commission] staff."

Police did not immediately comment.

Msando had been in charge of managing information-technology systems at the electoral commission. Kenya will be using biometric technology to identify voters and electronic transmission of results, which reduces the chances of fraud.

Msando had publicly sought to reassure voters the election results would not be tampered with. Chebukati said they have postponed a test run of the technology scheduled for today because Msando was crucial in the process.

The opposition has charged President Uhuru Kenyatta wants to rig the elections, an accusation the presidency has denied.