European Union mission warns of possible post-election violence, hands stakeholders major challenge

The European Union Election Observations Mission (EUEOM) has challenged stakeholders in the August elections to grow their responsibility and give one another a right to safety to vote on their cognizant.

The mission has called on the stakeholders to grow this responsibility to the proportion of their influence as state bodies and political players ahead of the polls.

EUEOM stated that their role will be to have a keen eye on the electioneering processes in Kenya and that they will not by any way act as investigators or take part in the organization of the elections.

The mission at a presser in Nairobi on Monday clarified that looking at how Kenyan law and the international laws are upheld and respected during the campaigns, elections and the aftermath of the August 8 polls.

A team of 30 long-term observers on the mission had been deployed across the country since April this year and were keen on the political parties’ primaries.

Another 32 short term observers are also in the country drawn from Switzerland, Norway and other EU member states countries will be in the company of diplomatic troops that will witness the August elections.

The group has observed that the campaigns had already sparked public debate and that Kenyans were now evidently aware of the significance of their right to vote.

The team will make public all its observations and recommendations so as to ensure their role is properly understood throughout the period pledging that they will operate strictly impartial and independent since the organization, safety and integrity of elections it is the responsibility of the stakeholders.

They have noted that the new constitution provides for balance of power, public participation, inclusion of women and that it will be a moment to see how these constitutional provisions play out in the process.

The body however notes that it is no secret that there were concerns about the possible outbreak of violence which they believe is not inevitable as it would create a situation where everybody loses calling for individual responsibility to grant each other the right and safety to vote according to their conscious.