The opposition coalition in North African country, Tunisia is calling for a united front to challenge President Kais Saied’s sit-tight reign in the country.

Ahmed Nejib Chebbi, head of the National Salvation Front, said “I call on all those who are part of the political movement and those who are in the civil movement to rise to this new challenge (ahead of us). Let’s join hands to work for change, in the form of Kais Saied’s departure.”

“Almost 90 percent, or rather 89 percent, of Tunisian voters, ignored this farce and refused to be involved in this coup d’état scenario that does not represent them at all,” he exclaimed.

Again voter turnout was low at the second round of the just concluded parliamentary in Tunisia with just 11.3 percent of voters have taken part in the poll. Official initial results after voting ended in Tunisia, Sunday (Jan. 29).

The electoral board chief Farouk Bouasker said 887,638 out of more than 7.8 million registered voters had taken part in the poll, which followed December’s widely boycotted first round.

According to the electoral board’s initial figures, just five percent of those who voted were aged under 26, and more than two-thirds were men.

Voter turnout for the first round of the parliamentary elections in December was only 11%, prompting widespread ridicule among Saied’s opponents and new demands by the powerful labour union that he changes tack.

President Saied sacked the government, suspended parliament, and seized a string of powers in July 2021.

As part of the fallout from the 2022 presidential elections in Kenya, the opposition under Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition has called for a public rally this Sunday in Nairobi.

At the rally, former prime minister and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga is expected to amplify his recent calls for an independent audit of the 2022 elections and their involvement in reconstituting the electoral commission.

The former Prime Minister has written a petition seeking to nullify Ruto’s victory, citing fraud and tampering with the Commission’s central server by the chairman, Wafula Chebukati, and other staff.

General elections were held in Kenya on 9 August 2022. Voters elected William Ruto as the East African country’s fifth president after a close contest with a veteran contender, Raila Odinga.

Kenya’s opposition has renewed its quest for what it calls electoral justice, vowing it has not recognised President William Ruto’s regime.

The seven wrangling officials of the electoral body, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) have since left — through retirement, resignation, or suspension amidst allegations that the body was compromised to grant President Ruto the victory.

Following the development, the President on Monday signed an amendment Bill on the composition of an IEBC selection panel, setting the stage for the recruitment of new electoral commissioners.

The recruitment is already being questioned by the opposition suspicious that Mr. Ruto may populate the selection panel with his cronies and influence the appointment of friendly commissioners to smooth his re-election path in 2027.

“We demand that any attempts to reconstitute the IEBC single-handedly by Mr. Ruto cease forthwith so that Kenyans themselves can reconstitute the body after the firm and fair deliberations,” Odinga said Monday.

The is fear in some quarters that the planned protest by the opposition of Saturday will be countered by ruling authorities.