KENYA’S CHIEF JUSTICE ASSURES EAC-COMESA-IGAD ELECTION OBSERVERS OF JUDICIARY’S PREPAREDNESS FOR ANY POST ELECTION PETITIONS IN NON-PARTISAN MANNER

Kenya’s Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga has assured the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and Inter-Governmental Authority in Development (IGAD) Election Observer Missions to the 4^th March 2013 Kenya General Elections that the judiciary was ready and well prepared to handle the forthcoming elections including related disputes that may arise.

The Chief Justice, who was this morning meeting the leaders of EAC-COMESA-IGAD Election Observer Missions; Hon. Abdulrahman Kinana; Amb. Simbi Veke Mubako; and Amb. Dr. Berhane Ghebray respectively, in his office in Nairobi, said the Judiciary would deal with election disputes impartially and efficiently and that 114 judges and 436 magistrates would handle any disputes that may arise, to ensure that petitions are heard and determined in a speedy manner.

“We are fully prepared and organized to deal with any number and manner of disputes that may arise from these elections in an independent, non-partisan, and efficient way,” he said. The Chief Justice said that the judiciary was above any form of bias and that they would uphold the spirit of the Constitution to the letter.

“These elections will usher in a new governance structure not experienced before by Kenyans. It is, therefore, a time for our national institutions, beginning with the Judiciary, but encompassing the Executive, to work in harmony to ensure elections are fair and credible,” he said.

Dr. Mutunga informed his guests that it was very calming to see a lot of foreign and local observers following the Kenya elections. “I have never seen such an election in the country with huge investment and goodwill purposely to ensure it (election) is free, fair and peaceful” asserted the Chief Justice. 

The leaders of the Observer Missions hailed the Chief Justice for the well preparedness of the Judiciary. “We are happy with the arrangements and all points to the direction that you are on top of things” concurred all the three Heads of Missions.

On Thursday 28 February, 2013, the joint missions had audience with the Kenya Inspector General of Police Mr. David Kimaiyo; Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Public Service, Mr. Francis T. Kimemia; Chairman of National Cohesion and Integration Commission, Mr. Mzalendo N. Kibunjia; and a Presidential aspirant, Ms Martha Karua. The discussions centered on the elections and related issues. The meetings largely welcomed the presence of the joint EAC-COMESA-IGAD missions’ presence at the polls.

INFRASTUCTURE IS THE BIGGEST NTB IN THE EAC REGION

The Secretary General of the East African Community Amb Dr. Richard Sezibera has said in order to compete in the global market with goods from countries such as China and Ethiopia, the EAC region need to cut down energy and transport costs.

Speaking at the Uganda Manufacturing Association Luncheon this afternoon,  Amb. Sezibera noted that manufacturing offers a wide range of opportunities in the EAC Partner States and the Heads of States across the region have always expressed commitment to the development of the sector in the micro, small and medium sized enterprises.

The EAC Chief informed the manufacturers that according to the EAC Facts and Figures 2012, the share of the manufacturing sector to GDP registered marginal changes in 2011. Burundi registered the highest share of 13.4 percent up from 12.8 the previous year followed by Tanzania 9.3 percent up from 9.0 previous year.

The Secretary General added that Uganda registered 8.5 percent up from 7.6 in 2010, and Rwanda 6.6 percent down from 7.0 in 2010 while Kenya registered with 9.4 down from 9.9 in 2010.

Amb. Sezibera reiterated that for manufacturing sector to prosper there was need for the stakeholders including the government and private sector players to work on ways to give the domestic industrial sector a new lease of life.

He called u[pon local manufacturers to take advantage of the several opportunities popping up as EAC integrates deeper especially in areas that include the pharmaceuticals, beverage production, vehicle spare-parts production and assembling among others.

‘’I am happy to report that several projects aimed at building a reliable transport and power supply capacity across the region are currently underway’’. ‘’ I am also glad to inform you that the EAC has a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan of Action,2012-2016 which guides the Partner States towards evolving an efficient and effective pharmaceutical manufacturing industry’’.

The Secretary General acknowledged the challenges pertaining to the manufacturing sector and called for more efforts to overcome them. He noted the continued growth of counterfeits that erode investor earnings while chipping away at factory jobs as companies scale down operations from market share lost to the illegal goods.

Amb. Sezibera informed his audience that EAC Partner states were expected to come up with strategies for formalizing the inter-agency approach at the EAC regional level in order to establish a legal and regulatory framework for the protection of Intellectual Property and the elimination of counterfeit products.

In attendance were Uganda’s State Minister for Trade and Cooperative Hon. David Wakikona, Members of Diplomatic Corps, Members of Uganda Manufacturing Association, Members of Parliament and the Media.

 

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.