US Carter Center Calls for Dialogue to End Kenya's Political Crisis

The US Carter Center Election Observation Mission has called on Kenyan political leaders to put their differences aside and engage in dialogue to end the current political crisis in the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US-based NGO said only dialogue between leaders could close the gap between the opposition and the ruling party following the October 26th repeat presidential election, boycotted by National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka.

The two pulled out of the repeat poll citing the inability of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to conduct a credible election.

In the statement, the Carter Center faults attacks on IEBC and the Judiciary by politicians, saying it undermined the ability of the institutions to carry out their constitutional mandate.

“These problems severely undermined the ability of Kenya’s electoral and judicial institutions to implement the fresh presidential elections. Rather than consolidating support for a national political program, the election polarized the country and exposed the deep tribal and ethnic rifts that have longed characterized its politics,” the statement added.

"In the days ahead, it is incumbent on political leaders to put personal agendas aside and take steps to heal the country while maintaining the country’s constitutional order."

The Carter Center will release a detailed statement on its overall observation of the election process in the October 26th repeat poll. The Observer group delegation in the country is headed by former US Secretary of State John Kerry.