UNDP denies plot to influence outcome of 2017 elections

The United Nations Development Programme has joined western donors in refuting President Kenyatta's claims of plotting to interfere with Kenya’s 2017 General Election.

In a statement on Wednesday, UNDP which has supported electoral agencies around the world said it provides assistance only when asked by the Kenyan government and does interfere with the internal affairs of the country.

“UN electoral assistance is provided only on the basis of a specific request from the national authorities, which, for Kenya, was received in 2014.

“Electoral assistance provided by the United Nations continues to be carried out in an objective, impartial, neutral and independent manner,” the UN agency said.

FOREIGN FORCES

The statement followed that of 10 envoys from western countries and the European Union who rejected accusations that some donors were financing rogue civil society groups to cause chaos.

In his Jamhuri Day speech, President Uhuru Kenyatta accused unnamed foreign forces of scheming to influence the outcome of the polls.

On Monday, NGO Coordination Board Executive Director Fazul Mahamed barred an American NGO, IFES, from conducting a Sh2 billion electoral programme, saying it is unregistered in Kenya.

IEBC SUPPORT

But the diplomats on Tuesday rejected the accusations of interference, saying their support is only meant to support systems and people to vote.

“To be clear, we do not provide electoral assistance to any organisation, governmental or non-governmental, to influence the election results for any side, political party, or candidate,” the envoys said.

“Rather, our assistance supports the Kenyan people to independently exercise their right to vote and have their voice heard.  The Kenyan people alone have the sovereign right to choose their leaders, and we fully respect this right.”

The UNDP has been involved in similar programmes since 2014 in what it says was on Kenya’s request to support the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

NATIONAL TREASURY

In July 2015, UNDP launched a programme known as Strengthening the Electoral Processes in Kenya (SEPK) to run untill 2018 and meant to provide “technical support to the IEBC and other related government institutions, and encouraging broad-based citizen participation in the electoral process.”

According to the agency, this project was approved and signed by the National Treasury after “extensive consultation with various stakeholders.”

In February this year, UNDP signed a €5 million (Sh533 million) agreement with the European Union under the SEPK to support the commission as it prepares for thee elections.

VISISON 2030

“Readiness of the IEBC and other stakeholders remains crucial in cementing development progress towards national targets as outlined in Vision 2030 and other national planning frameworks, as well as regional and international development targets such as the SDGs,” said UNDP Regional Representative Michel Balima in Nairobi at the time.

At the time, IEBC Chairman Isaack Hassan said the money will complement Treasury’s funding to the commission, adding that it would help double its officials to conduct mass voter registration across 24, 559 centres in 1,450 wards across the country.

UNDP has also been involved in a programme known as Amkeni Wakenya, which has been running since 2008 to promote participation of all communities in elections and is mainly channelled through civil societies.