The East African Community Election Observer Mission (EAC EOM) has called upon Kenyan political leaders and election managers to embark on a process of reconciliation and healing in the wake of divisions that were witnessed during the just concluded repeat presidential polls.
A statement from the regional bloc issued in Nairobi on Sunday noted that hostilities witnessed before, during and after the repeat polls are a wake-up call for Kenyan leaders to promote cohesion.
“All actors and stakeholders in Kenya’s elections should endeavor to address the underlying issues which continue to cause mistrust to institutions of government and fellow Kenyan citizens,” read the statement
The EAC deployed an election observer mission to Kenya to monitor preparations and actual voting during the October 26 repeat presidential polls.
Observers who visited 192 polling stations in 17 counties across the country said though the voting exercise adhered to the constitution and electoral laws, it was marred by low voter turnout, boycotts and violence in opposition strongholds.
They decried polarization that preceded the repeat polls and urged the government and non-state actors to promote an inclusive, fair and transparent electoral process.
“The government should ensure that a conducive environment for elections prevails in the entire country to enable the participation of all voters in the voting process,” noted the EAC statement
Kenya should learn from the short-comings of the repeat presidential polls to prevent them from recurring in the future.
The EAC observer group said that new reforms in the electoral process coupled with dialogue among different political groupings is key to averting crises during future polls.
“The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in collaboration with other stakeholders should ensure necessary reforms are undertaken to address all the challenges identified in the post-election review,” said the EAC observers.
They urged political parties to prevail upon supporters to refrain from actions that threaten national security, peace and cohesion in order to hasten post poll healing in Kenya. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
