Former President of Botswana Festus Mogae has been appointed to lead the Commonwealth’s observer group for Kenya’s upcoming general elections.
The Commonwealth Secretariat said in a statement today that the 20-person delegation will be in Kenya for the August 9 elections at the invitation of the country’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“Election observation is an essential component of our efforts to support member countries to strengthen the processes, culture, and institutions of democracy, and to enable citizen participation and representation at all levels,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said.
It comes after a Commonwealth pre-election assessment team visited in April.
He will chair the Group for the second time, following the March 4, 2013 elections in which he led the 17-member team.
“I am grateful to President Mogae and all observers for accepting this important assignment, as we continue to promote and protect electoral democracy – and the right of individuals to participate in processes which shape their societies through credible, inclusive, and transparent elections – in line with the Commonwealth Charter.”
An advance team from the Commonwealth will travel on July 16 to meet key stakeholders, including the election administration body, political parties, civil society groups, media, and other international observers, prior to the Group’s arrival.
They will travel across the country to gain a full picture of how the process is being carried out, as well as to witness the campaign and electoral preparations.
The Chair and observers have been tasked with observing and considering the factors affecting the overall credibility of the electoral process, as well as determining whether elections were conducted in accordance with the standards for democratic elections to which Kenya has committed itself, including relevant regional, Commonwealth, and international commitments.