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Cablegate: Kenya Elections: Interim Report of Pan

Published: Wed 2 Jan 2008 03:05 PM
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000008
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TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL KE
SUBJECT: KENYA ELECTIONS: INTERIM REPORT OF PAN
AFRICAN MOVEMENT OBSERVER MISSION
The Pan African Movement Observer Mission released the
following Preliminary Report on January 2, 2008.
Begin text:
The Pan African Movement Observer Mission (PAMOM) arrived
in the Kenyan capital on the 25th December, 2007 and commenced
the deployment of its observers the following day on the 26th. In
total, the Observer Mission consisted of forty one members drawn
from the Pan African Movement's (PAM)) vast membership across
the continent. The PAMOM deployed 13 of the country?s districts,
as well as in all the 8 constituencies of Nairobi.
We first and foremost would like to duly recognize and appreciate
the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) for inviting us as one
of the International Observers. In accordance to our earlier
communication to the ECK, the PAM subscribes to the outcomes
of the historic 2003 Conference in Pretoria on Elections,
Democracy and Governance hosted by the Independent Electoral
Commission of South Africa, in collaboration with the Africa
Union Commission and Association of Electoral Authorities.
Our Mission observed the enthusiastic turnout of voters, most of
who turned up at polling stations as early as two hours before their
official opening. Furthermore, we observed the patience,
orderliness and determination with which most voters exhibited
during the entire voting process. The professionalism of the ECK
in conducting the voting process also needs mention here as it went
on smoothly, in spite of the delay in the delivery of voting
materials to certain areas. That not withstanding, the Commission
failed in adequately managing the tallying process, which led to
the current confusion.
Given our mandate as observers, we recognize that in view of the
challenges facing African democratization and good governance,
the principles of free, fair and credible elections are central to
the achievement of democracy, good governance and progressive
constitutionalism. It is on that premise therefore that we would
like to point out a few observations that did not auger well with
the principles mentioned above.
The voter's register was not adequately made available to the
public for verification prior to voting day, which led to the
discovery of the omission of certain names on voting day.
Observers were not accorded the opportunity to observe the entire
election process, particularly the tallying process that has now
become the center of dispute of the results.
Provisional results that are supposed to be announced within an
agreed and reasonable period to allow for possible challenges prior
to final certification were haphazardly announced hence causing
anxiety and putting the integrity of the ECK in doubt.
Certain broadcasting houses, particularly KBC, exhibited high
standards of biasness towards particular interests in breech of the
principle of equal and fair reporting.
At this point, the PAM would like to reaffirm its recognition of the
interrelatedness between the process of democratization and
pursuit of the right to sustainable development. Therefore, as a
result of the observations stated above, electoral disputes occurred
and have thus far plunged this once great model of democracy,
Kenya, into conflict. Thus, the challenges facing the current
democratization process in Kenya have immensely affected not
only its political economy, but also the economies of various
countries in the region given Kenya?s vantage position.
Therefore, the PAM strongly condemns the ongoing ethnic
violence that has resulted into the senseless loss of life and
property. We call upon Kenyans to restrain themselves and to seek
legal redress as an end to the current confusion. The PAM calls
upon the region to come to the assistance of Kenyans, especially in
as far as interventions in quelling the ongoing violence are
concerned.
Finally, the PAMOM would like to categorically state that there
have been significant difficulties in as far as the final results of
the Kenyan General Elections are concerned. This is due to a number
of factors such as the disenfranchisement of voters that
materialized into the current violence that has engulfed parts of
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the country. Other factors such as statistical anomalies arising out
of the relationship between the unusually high numbers of registered
voters vis a vis the final tally of votes cast, as well as
revelations of discrepancies of the election process will be dealt
with in more detail in the final report to be released soon.
Kampala
January 2, 2008
End text.
RANNEBERGER
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