By Kabs Kanu, Public Relations Officer , WIMAGE.
A high-powered team from Women in Auditing and Monitoring Elections around the Globe (WIMAGE ) will be on the ground in Kenya next month to monitor the presidential elections in the country. The Kenya Presidential Elections is scheduled to be held on August 9, 2022.
According to the Chief Executive Officer, Madam Khadija Sesay, WIMAGE elections observers, auditors and monitors will see first hand how the elections will be conducted and whether democracy and the right of citizens to choose their representatives in a free, fair and credible process will prevail . Elections monitoring is one of the fundamental values in the world democratic network to ensure that representative , transparent, accountable and equitable democracy prevails in countries.
THE 4 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES IN KENYA
WIMAGE will adhere to the DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES FOR INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION and CODE OF CONDUCT FOR INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS , Commemorated on October 27, 2005, at the United Nations, New York. According to the declaration, “International election observation expresses the interest of the international community in the
achievement of democratic elections, as part of democratic development, including respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The Declaration goes on : “International election observation, which focuses on civil and political rights, is part of international human rights monitoring and must be conducted on the basis of the highest standards for impartiality concerning national political competitors and must be free from any bilateral or multilateral considerations that could conflict with impartiality. It assesses election processes in accordance with international principles for genuine democratic elections and domestic law, while recognizing that it is the people of a country who ultimately determine credibility and legitimacy of an election process.”
WIMAGE will help to promote and protect civil and political rights in elections and women’s empowerment on behalf of the Global Women Community.
To ensure monitoring compliance and efficiency in all its electoral monitoring and operations in its goals and objectives , including Women’s Empowerment, WIMAGE will be using its Open Data Process and internationally-approved elections integrity scorecards. WIMAGE, for purposes of its operations, will use the African Union GEWE and Maputo Protocol Scorecard ; the United Nations SDGs Action Plans Review Card , the European Union Women Empowerment Scorecard Review and the Gobal Scorecard Ranking on Women in Governance, Leadership and Politics.
List of Approved Presidential Candidates to Vie for the 2022 Kenyan General Elections
As of 6 June 2022, only four candidates and their running mates had been cleared. Walter Mong’are’s nomination to run for presidency was revoked, after it emerged his degree was not from a recognized university as required by law. The final list of presidential candidates are; ( SOURCE : //www.nyongesasande.com/
- David Waihiga Mwaure, leader of Agano Party
- George Wajackoyah, leader of Roots Party of Kenya
- Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya (2008–2013) and leader of Orange Democratic Movement
- William Ruto, current Deputy President of Kenya (2013–present) and leader of United Democratic Alliance
