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Commission on Administrative Justice to observe Kenya’s polls

Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) shall observe the Aug. 9 General Election to oversee the public electoral management processes to mitigate against unfair official conduct.

Florence Kajuju, chairperson of the commission told journalists on Sunday that  the election observation exercise is informed by the centrality of elections in the advancement of good governance which forms the basis for the existence of the Commission.

“Monitoring and observation of elections are essential pillars of electoral governance and play a critical role in building public confidence while providing valuable feedback for electoral system reforms,” Kajuju said.

Kajuju, who is also the secretary general of the African ombudsman and mediators’ association said that the Commission has deployed its Commissioners and staff as Long term and short-term election observers in about 690 polling stations in 33 countiesspread across the country.

She noted that the   Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has accredited the Commission’s staff to serve as observers on  Aug. 9.

The Commission has also developed a tool for election observation to capture requisite details focusing on administrative justice, and access to information on different aspects; general layout of the polling centers and stations, procedural adherence during the voting process, counting, tallying, and transmission. The Commission will thereafter provide an informed, comprehensive, and impartial analysis of the entire electoral process, in line with the established methodology for observing elections as an aspect of administrative justice.

The Commission is also hosting a delegation from the African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA) who have been accredited by the IEBC to observe Kenya’s 2022 general elections.

The African Ombudsman and Mediators Association (AOMA) is a continental body with 44-member countries with its secretariat in Durban, South Africa with a  mission  to advance the development of the Ombudsman institution in furtherance of good governance, the rule of law, and human rights in Africa.

The AOMA Observation Mission delegation to Kenya is composed of four regional Ombudspersons, notably:  Hon. Mathew P. Mwaimu – Tanzania, Hon. Grace Malera -Malawi, Hon. Pascal Essou- Benin, and Hon. Dr. Antonia Florbela Rocha Araujo- Angola. The Head of the mission; Hon. Grace Malera, the Ombudsman of Malawi shall deploy the AOMA election observers to 11 counties, namely; Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kisumu, and Homabay on 9th August 2022.

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