Tag: GreatLakesNews

{Politicians with ongoing criminal cases, including those battling corruption and hate speech charges, now risk being locked out of the August General Election in an elaborate bid by vetting agencies to comply with Constitutional requirements on integrity.}

Those with suspicious degrees running for governor and president, as well as their running mates, will not be safe from the hammer.

{{Appeals }}

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Registrar of Political Parties, and Attorney-General Githu Muigai say that they will not leave anything to chance in a bid to clean up Kenyan leadership.

“Information on ongoing criminal trials or investigations into criminal conduct of candidates in the elections may be obtained from relevant agencies, which may be significant to the ethics or integrity standing of candidates,” the team said in a joint communication in Thursday papers.

They, have however, said that such a candidate would not be disqualified if he or she “preferred an appeal or review against the sentence or decision; or all possibility of appeal or review has not been exhausted.”

{{Many boxes}}

On Wednesday, Attorney-General Githu Muigai remained optimistic that a 2013 court ruling that one cannot be stopped from running for having an ongoing case would not hurt their bid to enforce an ambitious law on integrity for elected officers in the August 8 poll.

“In the integrity test, there are many boxes to tick and criminality is just one of them. The other example is academic qualification. We have, regrettably have people carrying degrees they have not earned. Therefore, one of the basic question we will ask is: Do you hold the academic qualification you claim to hold?” said Prof Muigai.

At a joint press briefing at a Nairobi hotel, the agencies vowed that they would collaborate in the enforcement of Chapter Six ahead of the August polls.

{{Unsound mind }}

“The institutions will enforce compliance with the leadership and integrity requirements by aspirants in the forthcoming General Election,” they said in a joint statement read by Mr Wafula Chebukati, the IEBC chairman.

However, the “enforcement” still remains vague, especially considering that lawyers have argued that every Kenyan has an unflinching constitutional right- other than those convicted of election offences, academically unqualified (if required in the position sought) or of unsound mind- to contest for election as long as they are above 18 and are registered voters.

In their joint statement, the agencies still left the heavy lifting to the political parties who nominate candidates for seats, asking them to be the first filter in the clearance chain.

“We encourage political parties to nominate candidates who meet the leadership and integrity threshold set out in the law,” they said in a joint statement.

{{Watered down }}

But in a country where politics is a get-rich-quickly scheme, a provision to lock out corrupt individuals might still remain a pipe dream, much less enforced by political parties.

“I cannot stop anyone from running for office in my party. There are agencies that are supposed to clear people. They should do it,” President Kenyatta had thrown the ball to the agencies’ court in a live TV interview on Monday evening.

Chapter Six was what many have said was Kenya’s most ambitious section of the Constitution 2010, but which has been watered down so much and with a “vagueness” that has made it impossible to implement.

The subsequent Leadership and Integrity Act developed a self-declaration form for aspirants, which the EACC assesses before clearing a candidate.

{{6 months }}

They are asked to declare if they have ever been convicted of any offence and sentenced to serve for at least six months, misused public resources, removed from register of members of professional organisations, dismissed from employment due to integrity, or whether they had been subject of criminal or disciplinary proceedings as public officers.

{{Have a look:}}

THE EACC SELF-DECLARATION FORM: (Leadership and Integrity Act)

1. Have you ever engaged in the conduct of public affairs?

2. Have you ever misused public resources?

3. Have you ever abused a public office?

4. Have you ever misrepresented information to the public?

5. Have you ever engaged in wrongful conduct whilst in the furtherance of personal benefit?

6. Have you ever discriminated against anyone on any grounds other than as provided under the Constitution?

7. Have you ever falsified official or personal records?

8. Have you ever been debarred or removed from the register of members of your professional organisation?

9. Have you ever had any occupational or vocational license revoked and or otherwise subjected to any other disciplinary action for cause in Kenya or any other country?

10. Have you ever been dismissed from employment on account of lack of integrity?

11. If you have been a public officer, have you ever failed to declare your income, assets and liabilities under the Public Officer Ethics act, 2013?

12. Have you ever been convicted of any offence and sentenced to serve imprisonment for a period of at least six months?

13. Have you ever had any application for a certificate of clearance or good conduct or for a visa or other document authorising work in a public office denied and/or rejected for cause in Kenya or any other country?

Source:Daily Nation

{The United Nations said Tuesday that nearly three months after a political agreement was signed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, its implementation remains stalled, threatening security and stability.}

“As long as political dialogue remains in a stalemate, the tensions risk mounting,” Maman Sidikou, the head of the U.N. mission in DRC, MONUSCO, warned Security Council members.

A bleak report from the U.N. secretary-general chronicles spreading violence – including in previously stable areas, such as Tanganyika, where there has been inter-communal violence, and in Kasai and Lomami provinces, where militias have clashed with the army, killing more than 200 civilians. Mass graves also have been reported in Kasai. Last week, two U.N. experts and their four Congolese colleagues disappeared in the province and fears are growing for their safe return.

Human rights abuses also are alarmingly high – more than 5,000 violations last year — the majority at the hands of state agents, primarily the police. The U.N. reports continued activity of armed groups in the country’s east – including the resurgence of elements of the rebel group M23 – who were defeated in November 2013.

“The risk of electoral violence also remains high, mainly in urban areas,” Sidikou warned.

Meanwhile, displacements remain high, with more than 2.2 million Congolese forced from their homes.

In December, President Joseph Kabila remained in power after his constitutional mandate expired, sparking unrest and reigniting fears that the country of 67 million would slide backwards and return to violence and civil war. The country is still trying to work its way through the political crisis, towards elections later this year.

But there have been significant obstacles along the way. A deal signed between the government and opposition on December 31, 2016 has not been implemented, and in February, 84-year-old opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi died. There also have been disagreements between the two sides over designating a candidate for prime minister.

“The government has no intention of trying to delay implementation of the [December 31, 2016] agreement,” Congolese Foreign Minister Leonard She Okitundu told the council. He noted that the parties resumed negotiations on March 16 and that he is optimistic they will bridge their differences.

He said President Kabila is determined to continue the process toward organizing elections, and said close to 12 million voters have been registered of an anticipated 41 million throughout the country.

{{Largest UN Peacekeeping Mission}}

The peacekeeping mission in the DRC is the United Nations’ largest, with 20,000 troops and police, and its most costly, at more than $1.2 billion annually to operate. The Kabila government is eager to see the mission wind down and withdraw, while some Security Council members are looking to streamline its size and expense.

The mission’s mandate is up for renewal before the end of this month, and council members are debating what changes are necessary.

“There was some support for a reduction in numbers [of peacekeepers], but also some concern that this year in particular — with elections coming up by the end of the year — is not the moment to reduce in any way the ability of MONUSCO to provide protection of civilians,” Council President British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

Due to the increasing threat of violence, the U.N. chief has asked for two additional police units for areas likely to be “electoral hotspots” – Lubumbashi and Kananga. He also has recommended the possible deployment of additional “specialized capabilities,” including intelligence assets and specialized ground troops. He said that would be accomplished by reducing other MONUSCO troops, not requiring an increase in the current force size.

Source:Voice of America

{The Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have appealed to the international community to support the DR Congo hold peaceful and credible elections.}

They made the appeal in a communique following the SADC extraordinary summit in Swaziland on Saturday.

DR Congo was expected to hold a General Election by the end of 2017 as stipulated in a power-sharing deal reached on the New Year’s Eve.

However, the United Nations has criticised the lack of progress towards implementing the deal, which also called for the establishment of a transitional council.

{{The disarmament}}

The Swaziland summit also urged all parties in the DR Congo to embrace the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation and reintegration and resettlement programme to urgently to address the needs of those in the refugee camps and the surrender of those still in combat.

DRC’s central region of Kasai has seen a spike in violence since September, leaving at least 400 dead in an uprising that erupted when government forces killed a tribal chief and militia leader Kamwina Nsapu.

{{Security situation}}

Nsapu was leading a rebellion against President Joseph Kabila.

The Swaziland summit also mandated the Facilitator and the Oversight Committee to closely monitor the political and security situation in the Kingdom of Lesotho during the election period.

Elections in the mountain kingdom are set for June 3, following a motion of no confidence on the prime minister.

{{Third time}}

The June 3 polls will be Lesotho’s third time in five years.

SADC has 15 member states namely, Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

King Mswati III of Swaziland is currently the SADC chairperson.

Source:Africa Review