From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:KENYA: ELECTORAL COMMISSION LOSES CREDIBILITY
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 23:16:03 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Opecna Morning Transmission
Title: KENYA: ELECTORAL COMMISSION LOSES CREDIBILITY


an inter press service feature

by horace awori

nairobi, nov 11 (ips) -- less than one month to the dec. 7
general elections in kenya, credibility of the electoral
commission charged with its organisation is questioned.

not only is the impartiality of commission chair zachariah
chesoni doubted by the opposition, the desired cohesion within
the body itself is fragile.

''the leadership of the commission can only be described
as doctored to suit somebody's special mission'', says a
statement issued here by two members of the commission, habel
nyamu and fred nganatha.

they allege that the commission under chesoni, a former
judge who quit the bench in 1989 over alleged bankruptcy, lacks
''basic rudiments of management and administration''.

the two commissioners maintain that the remedy is for kenyans
to ''resolve that any attempts to tamper with free and fair
elections be outlawed''. however, nyamu and nganatha gave no
reason for their criticism nor did they indicate that they may
step down from the commission.

but chesoni lashed out at the critics challenging them to
resign if they believed in what they said.

criticism of the electoral commission, especially its
leadership, has sparked off fresh comments from kenya's
opposition parties and the church.

democratic party (dp) leader mwai kibaki told ips that the
statement has provided ''evidence that the commission is not
itself independent and, therefore, incapable of conducting free
and fair elections''.

kenya national congress (knc) secretary-general kimani nyoike
says his party is ''horrified'' and ''apprehensive'' about the
capabilities of the commission.

only the resignation of chesoni from the commission will
appease ford-asili party secretary-general martin shikuku. ''the
remaining commissioners should immediately appoint one of their
number to replace chesoni'',  he says.

shikuku also wants a new election date fixed ''so that proper
preparations are completed within three months from (nov. 3) the
date parliament was dissolved''. (more/ips)


kenya: electoral (2)

meanwhile, the church has been more subtle in its quest for
free and fair elections in a country ruled by the kenya african
national union (kanu) for 28 years.

in a pastoral letter this week to all their dioceses, kenya's
18 catholic bishops led by cardinal maurice otunga of nairobi,
said the ''electoral commission should be seen to be independent
of any party and even the government in ensuring respect for the
outcome of the elections''.

the bishops have also called for the involvement of
opposition parties in preparations for the elections.

archbishop manasses kuria, head of the anglican church of the
province of kenya has warned of ''chaos and bloodshed'' if the
elections are not free and fair.

''it is common knowledge that past elections in this country
have been rigged and there is the posibility that the coming
elections will also be rigged'', he warned.

opposition parties insist that in spite of all the appeals
and warnings, they have been kept in the dark over preparations
for the elections being made by the commission.

according to ford-kenya's spokesperson, raila odinga, there
is lack of public information on security arrangements for
ballot boxes and papers.

''we have raised a hundred and one concerns and even pointed
out many shortcomings about the arrangements for the elections
but the chairman has kept a studied silence'', raila told ips.

the privilege of incumbency enjoyed by president daniel arap
moi, who is seeking re-election to extend his 14-year rule, are
cause for concern too.

''president moi travels freely around the country using state
machinery and public funds to campaign for himself and kanu'',
says gibson kamau kuria, a kenyan constitutional lawyer.

noting that opposition parties have been denied permits to
hold political rallies, kuria adds: ''it is not coincidental
that the election date was announced after kanu had collected
all nomination papers for its candidates''.

the opposition parties were given a week to nominate
candidates, two weeks less than what the law provides for.

a ray of hope for an opposition victory may surface if a
united front is presented against kanu as suggested by prof.
wangari maathai, a political activist here.

maathai is urging dp and ford-kenya to present a common front
against kanu, but doubts that moi will ''revamp the electoral
commission or postpone the elections''. (end/ips/ha/ro/ar/92)