Ex-Botswana President to head observer group
By Alvin.Mwangi, July 13, 2022Commonwealth has appointed Former Botswana’s President, Festus Mogae, to head its observer group in overseeing the August 9 election.
A statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat said a team of 20 individuals will be in the country for the August 9 polls following the invitation of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
“Election observation is an essential component of our efforts to support member countries to strengthen the processes, culture, and institutions of democracy, and to enable citizen participation and representation at all levels,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said.
Chair and observers have been given the mandate to observe and consider factors affecting credibility of the electoral process as a whole.
They will also be tasked to judge whether elections have been conducted according to the standards for democratic elections.
Observer Group will arrive in Nairobi on August 2, and will be supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat.
“I am grateful to President Mogae and all observers for accepting this important assignment, as we continue to promote and protect electoral democracy and the right of individuals to participate in processes which shape their societies through credible, inclusive and transparent elections, in line with the Commonwealth Charter,” Scotland added.
Ahead of the group’s arrival, an advance team from the Commonwealth will arrive on July 16 to meet key stakeholders, including the election management body, political parties, civil society groups, media and other international observers.
They will travel across the country to build a comprehensive picture of the conduct of the process and to observe campaign and electoral preparations.