INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Kenya Elections: Election Date Set for December

Published: Fri 26 Oct 2007 12:32 PM
VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHNR #4236 2991232
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261232Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3147
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 9632
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 5539
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 4897
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2346
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 1605
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2440
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2367
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFIUU/CJTF HOA
UNCLAS NAIROBI 004236
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL KCOR KE
SUBJECT: KENYA ELECTIONS: ELECTION DATE SET FOR DECEMBER
27 AND OTHER UPDATES
REF: NAIROBI 3994
1. (U) The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) just
announced that the national elections will take place
beginning on December 27. The silver-lining to a
nation that now must spend its holiday season embroiled in
what promises to be turbulent elections is that most people
will be visiting family for Christmas and able to vote in
their home villages.
2. (SBU) In other news, President Kibaki signed the
Political Parties Bill into law on October 20. As reported
in reftel, passage of this legislation is a very positive
step toward curtailing the proliferation of fly-by-night
political parties (which now number 141 in Kenya) and the
rampant aisle-hopping and political gamesmanship that have
plagued Kenyan politics in the past. It also promises to
increase transparency and accountability in the campaign
finance process.
RANNEBERGER
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