Foreign envoys express concern about leadership

Eight foreign envoys met two Cord principals on Thursday afternoon and expressed their concern about the leadership of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), saying it threatens Kenya’s peace.

At a two-hour closed-door meeting at the German ambassador’s residence, Cord leaders Raila Odinga and Moses Wetang’ula explained why they wanted the IEBC team led by Issack Hassan to leave office.

The Opposition is banking on the support of Western countries to force electoral reforms ahead of the General Election next year.

Jutta Frasch (Germany), Rémi Maréchaux (France), Ralf Heckner (Switzerland), Victor Rønneberg (Norway), Mette Knudsen (Denmark), Frans Makken (Netherlands), Yahel Vilan (Israel) and European Union country representative Stefano Dejak attended the meeting.

While President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government is adamant that any changes to electoral law must be done through Parliament, Cord favours an inter-party parliamentary group format that will incorporate opposition parties, the civil society and religious bodies.

The diplomats are said to be worried ongoing political mobilisation several months to elections not only threatens the economy but also national cohesion.

They feel the environment may not guarantee peace regardless of who will win the presidential vote next year.

A source privy to the meeting who spoke in confidence said the envoys decided to make the government and the Opposition engage in dialogue on the best way out of the impasse.

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka did not attend the meeting, he was said to be out of town when it was called.

Sources in the Opposition have said the meeting was part of a multi-faceted approach they have adopted to pile pressure on IEBC chiefs to quit before the election slated for August 8 next year.