Nasa now welcomes international observers

National super alliance(Nasa)principals Kalonzo Musyoka(Left)and Musalia Mudavadi(Right)address a press conference on 19 September 2017at Capitol Hill office in Nairobi,Nasa make u-tern on election observers.[Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

The National Super Alliance has welcomed international observers to monitor the October 17 repeat presidential election.

The coalition’s principals said they had changed their mind over poll monitors because they realised they play a key role in ensuring the credibility of elections.

“We have today met observers from the European Union (EU) and African Judges Jurist Forum Secretariat led by former Tanzania Chief Justice Chande Othman. We are happy with their input,” said Musalia Mudavadi at Capitol Hill yesterday.

Mudavadi, who was accompanied by NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate, Kalonzo Musyoka, said their meeting had ironed out their differences.

“Despite our earlier criticism of international observers, we still need their input in elections.

“We have taken cognisance of their recommendations to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. We are not against them,” said Mudavadi.

NASA was opposed to the views expressed by some international election observers who had said the August 8 polls were credible, free, and fair.

They had accused the observers of being ill-informed about Kenya’s voting system, saying they had only witnessed the voting but not the transmission of results.

Some observers, among them the US Carter Centre and former US Secretary of State John Kerry, have rescinded the initial statements they had made on the August 8 elections. The leaders called for calm ahead of today’s Supreme Court full ruling on the nullification of the presidential election results.