Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Richard Onyonka (right) confers with
the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) executive
secretary Mahboub Maalim during a past meeting in Nairobi. Igad said
March 13, 2013 the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission
(IEBC) was largely “transparent and professional” despite facing
challenges during the elections. FILE
Daily Nation
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) has said
the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was largely
“transparent and professional” despite facing challenges during the
elections.
Igad, an eight-member regional
bloc to which Kenya is party, said on Wednesday the manner in which the
elections were conducted should be a model for adopting by other
countries.
“We laud the Chairman, the
Commissioners and the entire staff of the IEBC for the transparent and
professional manner in which they conducted the process despite some
challenges.
“The election day demonstrates
to the region and the whole world the democratic maturity in Kenya,”
said Igad secretary general Mahboub Maalim.
Mr Maalim also praised the
work of the media and congratulated President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and
his Deputy President-elect William Ruto for winning the elections and
wished them well in fulfilling their pre-election pledges to Kenyans.
The bloc thinks that Kenya’s
conduct of the elections in turning out in large numbers and remaining
peaceful throughout the period indicates a changing pattern on the
continent which would eventually guarantee stability.
“Peace and stability in this
country will guarantee progress and prosperity of the entire region,” he
told reporters in Nairobi.
“Kenyans have shown high level of maturity. The people of Kenya carried the day.”
Mr Kenyatta was declared the
winner of the General Election after collecting 50.07 per cent of the
votes cast. But that result is now the subject of a court challenge by
his close opponent Raila Odinga.
On Wednesday, Mr Maalim told
reporters the decision to use courts by aggrieved parties was welcome
since it demonstrates trust in institutions.
“The decision on whether the
elections were fair or not will rest with the Court. In the event that
there is reason to challenge the results, we urge everyone to use the
provided legal channels to resolve the disputes.”
Last week, Igad together with
the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for East and
Southern Africa (Comesa) jointly stated that Kenyans had “freely
expressed” their will in casting the votes but added they would follow
the electoral process to the end before they issue their verdict.
While the IEBC argues it
remained transparent and fair the Commission was faced with massive
system failures. First, the voter identification gadgets collapsed in
most parts forcing polling clerks to use manual rolls.
Then the electronic transmission system for provisional results crashed forcing the Commission to abandon it.
But Cord has insisted it doubts the credibility of the entire results.