President Kenyatta Meets Election Observers

President Uhuru Kenyatta with AU/COMESA election observers at State House, Nairobi. [PSCU]

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday met a team of AU/COMESA election observers at State House, Nairobi, who briefed him on their observations about the election process.

The team led by former Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma said the electoral process has been relatively transparent and all the observers have issued positive reports.

In their brief to President Kenyatta, the team, which included former Presidents Domitien Ndayizeye (Burundi) and Mulatu Teshome (Ethiopia) as well as Ambassador Marie-Pierre Lloyd of Seychelles, noted that the election system and institutions worked within the law and international best practice.

The election observers emphasized that they have learnt a lot from the elections in Kenya and will share a good example of real democracy, institutional credibility and upholding the rule of law to build the "Africa we want".

They cited the deployment of technology as well as the respect of the Constitution and institutions during the electoral process as some of the examples of good practices that should be emulated.

Commending President Kenyatta and the people of Kenya for the spirited campaigns which were peaceful and inclusive, the observers hoped for a credible and peaceful outcome as well as a post-election process that will form part of President Kenyatta's legacy.

Thanking the Election Observer Mission to Kenya for its commitment, President said he was proud of the peaceful and orderly manner of the campaigns and voting which witnessed reduced ethnic tension and focused on issues.

"The only anxiety witnessed has been that of anticipation but not of fear," President Kenyatta said.

He said his focus is on the completion of the electoral process, maintaining peace and security as well as the transition to the new leadership.

Present were Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Raychelle Omamo and Principal Secretary Ambassador Macharia Kamau.