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Peaceful, Credible Vote Goals in Kenya Constitutional Referendum

   Peter Clottey 03 August 2010
   Kenya's  Police  Commissioner Mathew Iteere, center, is shown security
   arrangements  around  the  Bomas of Kenya, where votes from across the
   country  from  Wednesday's  referendum  will  be  tallied, in Nairobi,
   Kenya, 03 Aug 2010

Photo: AP

   Kenya's  Police  Commissioner Mathew Iteere, center, is shown security
   arrangements  around  the  Bomas of Kenya, where votes from across the
   country  from  Wednesday's  referendum  will  be  tallied, in Nairobi,
   Kenya, 03 Aug 2010

   The  chairman  of  Kenyaâs  Interim  Independent  Electoral Commission
   (IIEC)  has  called  on  the  countryâs  eligible voters to cast their
   ballot peacefully in Wednesdayâs referendum.

   Ahmed Isaack Hassan said the electoral body is committed to ensuring a
   transparent  and  credible  vote that will not be a repeat of the 2007
   disputed poll.

   âWe  are  appealing to all Kenyans to come out and vote peacefully. We
   are  encouraging everybody who is registered as a voter to turn out in
   large  numbers  so  that  we  can have a successful referendum. We are
   urging  all  our staff all over the country to conduct themselves with
   professionalism,  integrity  and  transparency, so that we are able to
   have a free and fair referendum,â he said.

   Kenyans  are scheduled to decide Wednesday whether to accept or reject
   a newly proposed constitution.

   Analysts  say,  if  it  passes,  Kenyans  will go to the next election
   scheduled for 2012 with a new constitution.

   Last  week, European Union (EU) observers praised Kenyaâs preparations
   for   the   upcoming  vote.  Eric  van  der  Linden,  the  E.U.âs  top
   representative   in   the  country,  said  he  was  pleased  with  the
   transparency  of the process and called on Kenyans to turn out in high
   numbers.

   Chairman Hassan said officials of the electoral body have been trained
   to be at their âutmost professional bestâ to conduct the referendum.

   âAs  a  commission,  we  have  committed  ourselves  to  delivering  a
   transparent  process  for  the  referendum.  From  the time we started
   recruiting   our   staff,  the  election  managers,  the  constituency
   coordinators, down to the polling officials, we have done it in a very
   transparent  manner.  We have made every available opportunity to make
   sure that we conduct ourselves very professionally,â Hassan said.

   The  proposed  constitution  forms part of the 2008 power-sharing deal
   that followed Kenyaâs disputed presidential election. The vote dispute
   sparked  several  weeks  of  violence  that  killed an estimated 1,300
   people.

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