Deputy Speaker back from observing election in Kenya |15 March 2013

Mr Pool said this upon returning home this week from Kenya where he was part of the Comesa (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) election observation group from February 24 to March 10, 2013. 

The Deputy Speaker further expressed his appreciation for having been given the opportunity by the National Assembly to take part in such an important democratic exercise in one of our neighbouring countries.

“This year’s election in Kenya was handled with much political maturity and such was also displayed by the Kenyan people. On election day the turnout of voters at the 33,000 polling stations was over 85% with long queues forming in most places very early in the morning,” said the Deputy Speaker.

The election observation was facilitated jointly by the Comesa, the East African Community (EAC) and the inter-governmental authority for development (IGAD) in Kenya. The Comesa mission has already issued a preliminary statement and shall produce a comprehensive final report in the coming weeks.