Kenyan foreign minister assures region of security during elections

Kenyan Foreign Affairs minister Amina Mohammed has assured Rwanda and the rest of the region that her country will have violence free elections next week. Kenyans go to the polls on August 8 to elect various leaders, including the president, governors, senators, members of parliament, women representatives and members of county assemblies. Mohammed, who was in Rwanda Wednesday to meet Kenyans living in the country, said that following a peaceful pre-election period, it was clear that the country would conduct elections responsibly. She said that Kenya does not want to carry the tag and reputation of a nation that’s always prone to violence during elections hence the effort to ensure security. “We had the most peaceful pre-election period ever and that can be taken as a sign that Kenyans want to conduct the elections in a responsible manner and that they do not want to have the tag of a country that has violence every time we go to the elections. “And, therefore, we will make sure that the responsible and mature behaviour of Kenyans will hold to ensure peaceful free and fair elections,” the minister said. She said the Kenyan government had also taken appropriate measures to ensure that the country has incident free elections, including deployment of security officers. Mohammed added that Kenya remains a strong supporter of ongoing regional integration efforts and that the elections will not affect that position. The Kenyan High Commissioner to Rwanda, John Mwangemi told this paper recently that about 850 Kenyans living in Rwanda will vote at the Kenyan High Commission in Kacyiru. He said that necessary preparations had been made, including registration of voters and confirmation of voter register as well as civic education. Kenyans living in Rwanda say they are ready to vote. Timothy Kimani, a Kenyan lecturer living in Rwanda, said that they expect a free, fair and incident-free election despite reports of tension circulating on social media. He urged the region to be cautious on the authenticity of information about the Kenyan election saying that it could easily mislead people to have wrong perceptions about the country. Mohammed also wished Rwandans all the best as they go to the polls on Friday saying that the process is a true sign of people centered democracy. Over 800 Kenyans living and working in Rwanda will participate in the Kenyan election by casting their ballots at the country’s High Commission in Kigali. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

News

Kenyan foreign minister assures region of security during elections