European Union Election Observation Mission arrives to observe next month’s polls.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

July 3, 2017.

AN Election observation Team from Europe has arrived in the country with an aim of observing the next Month’s General Election across the various parts of the country.

The team from European Union Election Observation Mission {EU EOM} has arrived in the country following the Kenyan Authorities invitation.

The EU EOM Kenya 2017 is led by Chief Observer Marietje Schaake who is a member of the European Parliament from Netherlands.

The team is here so as to observe all aspects of the electoral process before, during and after the polling.

Some of the areas they will be looking at include the legal framework and its implementation, the performance of the election administration.

The other areas include the role of state institutions and civil societies as well as the conduct of media and coverage by both the state and private media.

The team will also look at voter, party and candidates’ registration as well as the campaign activities.

They will also check the aspects of voting, counting and results tabulations and transmission.

Electoral complaints and disputes, appeals and resolutions will also be some of the areas the EU EOM team will be looking at during their mission.

A core team of ten experts and specialists is based in Nairobi to analyze all aspects of the elections.

Thirty long term observers are being deployed across the country to observe the electoral process in their areas and report back to the core team in Nairobi.

Closer to the election day which is next month of August 8, another 32 short-term observers as well as representatives of EU Embassies in Kenya here and a delegation of Members of the European Parliament will join the Mission.

The team will also observe voting, counting and tabulation and transmission of the results of the elections.

The EU EOM will then base its conclusions on analysis of the framework for elections and on information about the ground reality gathered from its observers across the country.

The information collected, checked and analyzed by the EU EOM will provide the basis for the preliminary statement presented by the Chief Observer Marietje Schaake at a press conference in Nairobi shortly after the elections.

A final report with recommendations for future elections will then be issued some two months after the elections.

Mats MELIN and Drahomira TRNOVCOVA are the two Long Term Observers who have been deployed by the EU EOM to observe the elections in Kisumu, Siaya and Vihiga Counties before, during and after the polls.

Already the two Long Term Observers have met officials of a civil society group which help in the mobilization of voters to go and verify their details during the one month exercise by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission{IEBC}.They have also met Transparency International representative and as well as the representative of National Council of Churches in Kenya.

The European Union Election Observation Mission {EU EOM} uses an established methodology for observing elections in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation adopted at the United Nations in 2005.

The EU EOM does not legitimize the electoral process, nor does it validate the electoral results.

The Observers are bound by a strict code of conduct that requires them to be very neutral and impartial.

They cannot interfere in any way in the electoral process, including by offering advice or assistance.

The main objectives of the EU EOM are to make recommendations so as to help in improving future elections processes as well as to support the democratic process in partner countries.

The other one is to strengthen respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The European Union has deployed more than a hundred election observation missions to over 50 countries since the year 2000.

The EU deployed observation missions to Kenya in 2002, 2007 and 2013 General Elections.

It has also deployed a follow-on Mission in 2016 and earlier this year, an advance expert Mission for the 2017 General Elections.

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