Presidential election Kenya - Kenya, the centre of one of Africa's most competitive presidential election, is back on the international spotlight five years after undergoing a traumatic post-electoral violence that killed scored of people.
African Union's Commission President Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, is due in Nairobi ahead of the 4 March elections to join a group of observers from several African bodies already on the ground to observe the elections in the East African nation.
President Mwai Kibaki is not running again for election and has remained a neutral player, but he has made a stunning backing for a single parliamentary candidate in his hometown of Othaya, Nyeri, central Kenya.
In Nairobi, the AU has deployed its first ever long-term electoral observer mission. The Commonwealth and a host of other international organisations have deployed election observers and regional diplomatic activity in support of a peaceful poll is high.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon on Thursday called President Kibaki to wish Kenya a peaceful election.
The East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have sent each an Election Observer Mission to the elections.
The leaders of the EAC, COMESA, IGAD Missions have held talks with members of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Berhane Ghebray, leader of IGAD Mission; Simbi Veke Mubako, the leader of COMESA Mission; and the leader of the EAC Election Observer Mission, Abdulrahman Kinana held talks with the IEBC Chairman Mr. Ahmed Isaac Hassan, to discuss his preparedness to conduct the polls.
The IEBC Chairman briefed the mission on the ongoing preparations for the forthcoming elections including the voting simulation conducted countrywide on Sunday, 24 February, 2013 and affirmed that the electoral body was well prepared for the task.
He said the Commission had drawn vital lessons from the simulation exercise and was working on areas, which required some improvement.
'The IEBC has been tried and tested in the management of elections, there is nothing to worry about.”
The IEBC said the elections would be conducted in a peaceful, free and fair atmosphere and urged people not to worry but go out in large numbers to cast their ballots on the election day.
The election observers say their presence would definitely contribute to the promotion of democracy and governance in Kenya.
The IEBC says it has put in place a robust mechanism to ensure that transmission of results from the polling centres was done through a secure system and that several back-up security measures were also in place.
'We believe that everything has been done to ensure maximum success in the polls. I have full faith in IEBC’s ability to ensure free and fair elections,' said Kinana.
Pana 01/03/2013