Former Kenya lawmaker challenges presidential election results News
Former Kenya lawmaker challenges presidential election results

Former Kenya lawmaker Harun Mwau filed a petition [text, PDF] on Monday at the Supreme Court of Kenya [official website] challenging last month’s presidential election win for President Uhuru Kenyatta claiming the election was not free and fair.

On October 26 Kenyatta won the right to another five-year term by 98 percent of the vote.

In September the Supreme Court invalidated [JURIST report] the initial presidential election held in August finding that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission “failed to conduct the election in the manner set in the Constitution.”

The Supreme Court must provide a final ruling on the challenge within 14 days. If the election results are overturned, a new election must be held within 60 days.

THIS DAY @ LAW

No lynchings reported in US for first time

On December 30, 1952, the Tuskegee Institute reported that 1952 was the first year of no lynchings of African Americans in the United States in the 71 years it had kept records. Learn more about lynching and listen to Billie Holiday's jazz recording of the 1938 protest song Strange Fruit.

USSR established

On December 30, 1922, representatives of Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Transcaucus approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, creating the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). During World War II, the USSR would also annex Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Moldova. Learn more about the history of the USSR from the BBC.