EAC-COMESA-IGAD ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS’ LEADERS MEET IEBC OFFICIALS

 The leaders of the Joint East African Community (EAC)-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)-Inter-Governmental Authority in Development (IGAD) Election Observer Missions to the 4th March 2013 Kenya General Elections today paid a working visit to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) offices in Nairobi, Kenya.

Amb. Dr. Berhane Ghebray, leader of IGAD Mission; Amb. Simbi Veke Mubako, the leader of COMESA Mission; and the leader of the EAC Election Observer Mission, Hon. Abdulrahman Kinana held talks with the IEBC Chairman Mr. Ahmed Isaac Hassan. The Vice Chairperson Mrs. Lilian Mahiri-Zaja and the CEO and Commission Secretary Mr. James Humphrey Obanda Oswago respectively were present.

The IEBC Chairman briefed the mission leaders on the ongoing preparations for the forthcoming elections including the voting simulation conducted countrywide on Sunday, February 24, 2013 and affirmed that the Electoral body was well prepared for the task. He said the Commission has drawn vital lessons from the simulation exercise and was working on areas, which require some improvement. 

“The IEBC has been tried and tested in the management of elections, there is nothing to worry about”. He assured the Team and the Kenyan people that the elections would be conducted in a peaceful, free and fair atmosphere and urged people not to worry but go out in large numbers to cast their ballots on the Election Day Monday.

The Chairman urged the contenders to urge their supporters to maintain peace and order during the elections, accept the results and if not satisfied to challenge the results using the official and legal means.

The Chairman hailed the joint EAC-COMESA-IGAD Observer Mission saying “their presence will definitely contribute to the promotion of democracy and governance in Kenya.

The leaders of the Missions expressed gratitude to Chairman of IEBC for the invitation to take part in the elections observation, which they said demonstrated confidence in the regional economic communities in working together with the Kenyans to ensure that they conduct peaceful elections. They informed the IEBC officials that the three RECs were deploying a joint 78 observers to different counties throughout Kenya.

Amb. Dr. Berhane Ghebray, leader of IGAD Mission, said the joint mission was not only observing the elections but was also a goodwill mission to the people of Kenya.

Amb. Simbi Veke Mubako, leader of COMESA Mission, applauded the IEBC for the preparedness of the elections.

The leader of the EAC Election Observer Mission, Hon. Abdulrahman Kinana, contended that the joint Mission would give the people of Kenya an opportunity to freely choose leaders of their choice and that the observation would promote transparency and reinforce the integrity and legitimacy of the electoral process.

Hon. Kinana was happy to note that the IEBC had put in place a robust mechanism to ensure transmission of results from the polling centers were done through a secure system and that several back-up security measures were also in place.

He noted that since the forthcoming elections were under a new constitution and different political dispensation, some hiccups were inevitable but “we believe that everything has been done to ensure maximum success in the polls”. “I have full faith in IEBC’s ability to ensure free and fair elections” affirmed Hon. Kinana, who was the First Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

The Leaders of the Missions wished the people of Kenya peaceful and violence-free elections.