US ambassador in Kenya Robert Godec with other foreign diplomats during a
press briefing in Nairobi on October 2, 2017. PHOTO DENNIS ONSONGO |
NMG
Summary
- The mission called out the Opposition, Nasa, for imposing excessive demands on the electoral commission, IEBC, and faulted Jubilee government for pushing to amend electoral laws just ahead of the October 26 polls.
- Nasa, among other demands, is seeking removal of IEBC chief executive Ezra Chiloba, whom they brand as the fall guy for the August 8 Presidential election that the Supreme Court nullified.
The European Union election observation mission has joined the
growing list of western nations that have asked President Uhuru
Kenyatta’s party and opposition Raila Odinga’s Nasa coalition to
withdraw their tough demands ahead of the repeat polls.
The
mission called out the Opposition, Nasa, for imposing excessive demands
on the electoral commission, IEBC, and faulted Jubilee government for
pushing to amend electoral laws just ahead of the October 26 polls.
“Excessive
demands, which cannot be met by the IEBC, place an extraordinary burden
on the institution and escalate tension and antagonism in the
election,” the EU mission said in a statement.
Nasa,
among other demands, is seeking removal of IEBC chief executive Ezra
Chiloba, whom they brand as the fall guy for the August 8 Presidential
election that the Supreme Court nullified.
Late amendments
“Late
amendments to electoral legislation risk being politically polarising,
undermining the predictability of law, reducing the quality of
legislation and generating implementation problems,” the mission said.
“It
is good practice for the fundamental elements of an electoral process
to be legally finalised at least one year before an election.”
A group of envoys from 14 western nations, including the US and
UK on Monday also warned the contending parties against political
grandstanding, saying this would invite sanctions against culpable
individuals.
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