Former US Secretary of State John Kerry Insists on Free, Fair Kenya Elections

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry has insisted that the August 8 polls must be free and fair, something he often spoke about during his tenure in office.

Kerry was former US President Barack Obama’s top diplomat between 2013 and 2016 and has returned to Kenya to co-lead an observation mission team sent by the Carter Centre.

“I urge all political parties and candidates to support a fair, orderly, credible and non-violent electoral process; respect the electoral code of conduct; and keep faith with the Kenyan people,” Kerry said in a statement this week.

Kerry together with former Prime Minister of Senegal Aminata Touré will jointly head the Crater Center Election Observation Mission to Kenya.

Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former US President Jimmy Carter and Emory University and it specializes in “advancing democracy, human rights, climate change and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care”, according to its website.

This will mark Kerry’s third time in Kenya in a span of three years.  In his visits, he has insisted on democracy, security and human rights during his visits.

 “I underscored with President Uhuru Kenyatta and in a meeting with opposition leaders the need for all parties to commit to free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in 2017,” he said last year.

“Holding a free and fair, peaceful credible election is a critical step in consolidating Kenya’s democracy,” he told a press conference.