IEBC has failed Kenya, Raila Odinga tells international community

CORD leader Raila Odinga has taken the discussion on getting rid of the current Kenya's electoral body a notch higher on his visit to the US for the National Democratic Party Convention.

This was on the sidelines of the crowing of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as the Democratic Party US presidential candidate.

The vocal CORD leader utilized the international platform to criticize the country's levels of democracy saying they have been orchestrated by the lack of an accountable Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission (IEBC).

Putting Kenya among other African nations with struggling democracies, Raila said despite regular multi-party elections, there is still no direct translation to good governance and respect for rule and law and freedoms.

The opposition leader further put the international community on the spot saying they are mandated to protect democracy in African nations.

"These efforts (on democracy) in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa need the backing of all forces that believe in democracy," said Raila.

He added: "They require that the US and the EU must do more for democracy; fight corruption, defend Internet freedom and media freedom and protect democracy activists."

Raila said since the numerous multiparty election have not yielded much, there is need to focus on building more free societies, create clear cut of separation of powers, independence of the media.

"...and the judiciary, devolution of power and resources, restriction on presidential power and also respect for term limits," said Raila.

Referencing on countries like Senegal, Djibouti Rwanda, and Malawi whose economic growth rate is above six per cent above Kenya's, Raila noted that countries that have adopted accountable and democratic governance systems have made strides on the social and economic front.

"These countries are reaping the democracy dividend that ensures sound management of public resources and political stability through regular, credible elections and peaceful and predictable transfers of power," Raila said.

Raila said Kenya (and Africa at large) has become a country where elections are being viewed on how peaceful they are and not how free and fair they should be: "The performance of incumbents is getting judged by how they can be used to fight terrorism no matter the human rights abuses that accompany the fight and the economic gains that come with doing business with those regimes."

He warned that despite all the gains a country might have made, just one electoral cycle is enough to wipe it all out.

"After 2007, Kenya was suddenly thrust into a political crisis following a botched election. From an 8 per cent annual rate of growth, we dropped to a miserable 2 per cent in 2008 after the post-election violence," said the CORD leader.

He added: "That is why since 2013, Kenya's Opposition has demanded fundamental reforms to the electoral infrastructure as the surest way to safeguard democracy."

Raila said his team is pursuing reforms to the system of voter registration, the counting of the votes, result transmission, and announcement of the results.

"We are pushing an electoral body that operates in a truly open and transparent manner with an obligation of complete disclosure of all its operations in the conduct and management of elections," said Raila.