Igad urges Kenyans to take part in poll

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad) has asked Kenyans to reject calls by politicians to boycott the planned fresh presidential election.

The group condemned the ongoing plans to remove electoral officials from office.

Igad executive secretary Mahboub Maalim, in a statement on Monday, said statements and actions by some quarters regarding the poll planned for October 26 are undermining the people’s confidence in the commission’s ability to manage the poll.

DEMOCRACY
Mr Maalim said there are unrealistic demands that are being made to frustrate the commission.

“Indeed, calls to boycott the fresh election put Kenya on a dangerous path,” he said.

He added: “Igad urges and appeals to the people of Kenya, including political parties and their leadership and all constitutional institutions, to jealously safeguard and protect the mode of transfer of power provided for, in the Constitution.”

NASA
Nasa has demanded that some senior IEBC officials, among them CEO Ezra Chiloba, be removed from office.

The coalition’s presidential candidate Raila Odinga has also threatened not to take part in the poll if his demands are not met.

Mr Maalim said as the Supreme Court determined, the commission has to make certain critical administrative adjustments and correct certain errors that became evident during the August 8 elections.

SPORTSMANSHIP
Igad reiterated its observation that the August 8 General Election was conducted in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner.

He said unconstitutional change of government does not only include military coup d’etat, use of mercenaries, rebels or armed dissidents against democratically elected government, but also included the refusal by an incumbent government to relinquish power to the winning party after free and fair elections.