European Observer mission: Repeat poll was well administered.

 The European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) has said that polling and counting in the repeat presidential election was well administered.

In a statement sent to newsrooms, Marietje Schaake the chief observer of the mission, notes that there were technical improvements in handling of results in the repeat poll despite what it termed as weaknesses in the electoral commission.

“The weaknesses of the IEBC, including pronounced internal divisions, further contributed to uncertainty and agitation. Despite these problems, polling and counting appeared to be generally well administered and some technical improvements were evident in the results process although further assessment is still needed,” The statement reads.


The mission has made five recommendations to help the country recover from what it referred to as a “divisive electoral process”.

EU EOM recommends that all aggrieved parties by the electoral parties should seek legal redress.
That IEBC and the Judiciary be given an opportunity to work independently without undue pressure.

That security agencies be fully accountable, by providing information on forces deployed and actions taken.
Political leaders engage in dialogue to identify ways to end the current political stalemate.

IEBC publishes information on the number of voters in each polling station who were identified biometrically, alphanumerically and by the manual complementary mechanism, to enable full public scrutiny.

The mission says it identified attacks on independent institutions, the controversial Elections Amendment Act, leadership problems in IEBC, violence on October 26, numerous court cases challenging the election and constant attacks on the civil society as the factors that derailed IEBC’s preparations for the repeat presidential election.