Championing Values in Hard Times: Election Monitoring and Observation

Abstract

The 4th March 2013 General Election in Kenya were the first elections held under the new Constitution of Kenya, 2010. The high voter turnout and restraint witnessed during the process, in spite of the challenges experienced, confirmed Kenyans’ desire for peaceful co-existence and a representative government. As an independent constitutional commission with a mandate to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution, the Commission on Administrative Justice (Office of the Ombudsman) made significant efforts in contributing to the credibility and integrity of the elections. In line with its Constitutional mandate to protect constitutionalism, ensure adherence to democratic values and principles, and protect the sovereignty of the Kenyan people; as well as the mandate to check against abuse of power and improper conduct derived from both Constitution and Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) Act of 2011, the Commission monitored misuse of state resources, observed the elections and conducted post election monitoring exercise. The exercise yielded positive results. The intervention went a long way not only to protect the integrity of the electoral process, but also to protect public wealth