IEBC, Supreme Court need urgent reforms for peaceful elections, say leaders

Church leaders and elders from various ethnic communities countrywide have called for urgent strengthening of the electoral commission and other key government agencies before the next elections.

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and elders from 13 major tribes in the country said next elections offer a chance for further progress in the country, but only if ‘a number of issues are addressed’.

“There is need to strengthen the capacities of these institutions so that they play their impartial and independent roles in ensuring the 2017 General Election is peaceful, free, fair and credible,” said a statement signed by KCCB, NCCK and the elders.

Institutions targeted included the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the Supreme Court, the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) , the National Police Service and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

The church leaders and elders drawn from the Borana, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kikuyu, Kisii, Luhya, Meru, Miji Kenda, Embu, Taita, Maasai and Somali communities met on Thursday in Nairobi amid tensions between the Opposition and government over the reforms needed at IEBC.

But clerics and the Councils of Elders say the country must also support other agencies directly involved in elections and dispute resolutions as a matter of urgency.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

They offered to organise for county forums and a national dialogue conference to help the country to “take stock of its readiness for the 2017 General Election” and agree on solutions ahead of elections.

“The gains made with regard to national cohesion and peaceful co-existence of tribes especially after the 2007 elections and the traumatic aftermath must not be compromised.

“We therefore commit not to allow any political or social actors to preach hatred or violence in our communities,” they pledged.

The elders’ call for a wholesome approach is inspired by the failures in previous elections. In the 2007 elections, the defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) failed to conduct elections properly and the judiciary could not be trusted to resolve disputes that arose.

In fact the police failed to collect and preserve evidence of those who committed post-election violence, and the Director of Public Prosecutions admitted his office could not prosecute cases because of this weakness.

MUTUNGA RETIREMENT

In 2013, electoral disputes were largely resolved in the Courts and although this served partly as a safety valve against violence, the Chief Justice Willy Mutunga has announced he will leave office before the end of the year.

Moreover, Cord leader Raila Odinga and his Opposition coalition say they will not take part in elections if the current IEBC Commissioners remain in office, arguing the Commission has lost credibility.

The Opposition has threatened to force them out of office, a threat seen by the Jubilee administration as illegal.

And on a day when diplomats from IEBC’s main donor countries issued a statement calling for dialogue, the religious and community elders said major political divides should talk with another instead of issuing threats.

“The 2017 General Elections are a wonderful opportunity for our country to progress our peace, national cohesion and integration.

“We all therefore commit to mitigate against all efforts by politicians to endanger and risk national peace and integrity around the elections,” they said.