Election observers hail power hand-over |27 May 2006

Speaking to Seychelles Nation after the meetings, Professor Ade Adefuye and Mr Martin Kasirye, hailed April 2004 transfer of power by President Rene to his then Vice-President James Michel as exemplary.

“Seychelles is one example where there has been successful transition from one leader to another with the former leader still exercising some political influence by remaining as party leader. This is one example of success which encourages transition and it is good for the country. I wish many other countries in Africa had done the same,” Professor Adefuye, who is in charge of Africa’s political affairs within the Commonwealth said.

With regard to that example, he said, the Commonwealth prides itself in promoting democracy, part of which involves observing elections.

“And we are making use of former leaders’ experience, and so when we have a crop of former leaders, their experience can be brought to bear on the process of democracy within the region,” he said.

He also commended Seychelles' transition from single party to multi-party system, saying that the Opposition has been able to advance certain points.

Professor Adefuye said that he, and Mr Kasirye, who is the political affairs officer responsible for Eastern Africa, are here at the invitation of the Seychelles Electoral Commission to observe the forthcoming presidential, and possibly National Assembly elections.

He said that on the basis of what they find, they will be able to advise the Secretary General of the Commonwealth on whether to send an observer team and of what size.

He noted, however, that such a team would observe the electoral process in its entirety but not the outcome, and as in the past, would make recommendations for further improvement, “as no electoral process is 100 percent perfect.”

He said that he and Mr Kasirye are scheduled to meet Opposition Leader Wavel Ramkalawan and the leader of the Democratic Party, Paul Chow, and will also be holding discussions with Electoral Commissioner Hendrick Gappy and other leaders to get their views on whether or not they would welcome a Commonwealth elections observer team.

Among the issues that Prof Adefuye said observers would look out for will include an assessment of whether the different parties are granted equal access to facilities and the extent to which government controls the media and whether voters are intimidated or not.