European Union (EU) diplomats in Kenya have stepped up their engagement with the Independent Electoral & Boundaries Commission, to help support and observe its preparations for the October 26 presidential election.
In a statement to newsrooms, the EU Election Observation Mission has made recommendations to the IEBC to ensure a free and fair election.
The EU EOM suggested that the IEBC should demonstrate stronger transparency by providing regular information to the public in view of the Supreme Court ruling.
“Stakeholders should be consulted in order to provide for reforms being supported and implementable. Election reform is always stronger when there is broad political consensus,” The EU-EOM said in a statement sent to newsrooms.
The Observer Mission which is led by European Parliament Representative Marietje Schaake cautioned that late amendments to electoral legislation risks being politically polarizing, undermining the predictability of the law, reducing the quality of legislation and generating implementation problems.
The EU says that enactment of the Election Laws (Amendment) Bill and the Election Offences (Amendment) Bill 2017 should be shelved because it would have serious implications on the fresh presidential election.
In a statement sent to Kenyans.co.ke, the body has lauded the Supreme Court for its independence and showing the importance of election being conducted according to the Constitution and the law related to the elections.
When asked about having faith in the IEBC, the mission representative stated: “We understand the IEBC is working to hold the elections under an extremely tight timeline and need space to be
able to do that and at the same time address the issues raised in the Supreme Court ruling.
"We are looking to see how they do their preparations and deliver the election. We’ll be looking centrally in Nairobi and also out in the field”.
The EU EOM had previously called for investigations and possible prosecution of IEBC officials for electoral malpractices that marred the August 8 General Election.
