We shall closely monitor voter register flaws, says EU

Jan 15, 2016

The observers will analyze the legal framework, work of election administrators, role of State institutions, civil society participation, the conduct of the media, voting and counting processes, complaints and appeal process and the final announcement of the poll verdicts.

     

As the European Union (EU) election observation mission continues to comb the countryside, Eduard Kukan, a Slovak member of the European Union parliament, who is the chief observer for the February 18 polls, has said that his group will closely monitor the voter register flaws.

 

"We are observing the voter register closely," he said, emphasizing that it is important for the Independent Electoral Commission to be very transparent with the register.

 

The newly-generated voters' register has been a subject of contention with some opposition actors arguing that it left out so many people including Norbert Mao, the president of the Democratic Party (DP).

 

Kukan said that the interest of the election observer is to monitor whether the transfer of data from the ID process to the register by the electoral commission officials has been managed well.

 

Kukan said during a press conference at Sheraton Hotel that apart from monitoring how the new voters' register that was crafted from the national identity card data will work out for voters and participants in the election, the other areas of concern include ensuring that the elections are non-violent and the access of the media by all candidates.

 

"I hope that all institutions participating in the election will do whatever they can in the responsible way to avoid violence," he said.

 

The Independent Electoral Commission has already given presidential candidates and political parties copies of the voters' register to crosscheck the data.

 

On January 12, a team of 30 EU election observers was dispatched to upcountry districts to monitor the poll exercise.

 

Kukan said that these observers are meeting relevant stakeholders, including government and electoral officials, candidates, civil society, voters, media owners and representatives of participating candidates.

 

"The purpose of this mission is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the electoral process based on long-term observation," he said.

 

The observers will analyze the legal framework, work of election administrators, role of State institutions, civil society participation, the conduct of the media, voting and counting processes, complaints and appeal process and the final announcement of the poll verdicts.

 

"Prior to Election Day, around 80 short-term observers will join the mission to observe voting, counting and the tabulation of results," he said.

 

 

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