Disability is not Inability

:: Observation Planning: Report Back from DICED - Vincent Oduor

Vincent informed the participants that DICED was tasked with reporting back on domestic observation planning. His presentation addressed three main areas viz; the salient features of the electoral process, the national domestic observation programme and Kenya Elections Domestic Observation Forum (KEDOF).

He listed the salient features including revision and marking of boundaries and areas to ensure fair representation, registration of voters and campaigning. He outlined what observers look for and observe in the national domestic observation program.

He informed participants that Kenyan law only allows for election observers not monitors. He stated that in most observation programs, the deliberate involvement of PWDs was lacking. In his presentation he highlighted a critical lesson learnt from the past that timing is crucial for successful election observation initiatives and the best practice is to put into place frameworks for observation at least a year to general elections/referenda.

He noted that other countries have permanent organisations for observation. For the 2007 elections he explained that PWDs would be included in the observation process. He outline what observers look for during observation.

In conclusion, Vincent assured participants that preparations for the 2007 elections were in top gear and advised POs to join relevant initiatives under KEDOF.

Plenary

Participants put forth their issues and views concerning observation of the disability and election observation in Kenya. They emphasised that DPOs should unite their efforts in order to be visible. DPOs could belong to more than one consortium depending on the issues they were dealing with. They were however asked to lobby for issues as one united movement to ensure all PWDs would be included.

In response, Vincent briefed participants on DICED explaining that it was established in April 2005 and the members are exploring possibilities of expanding it. It was not a registered constitution and the members were in the process of formulating its constitution.

• Observers only view the elections and report at the end of the process, whereas monitors are allowed to intervene should they observe malpractices. However, ECK had been known to allow interventions.

• An organisation can be a member of only one of the 13 organisations that formed the members of the technical planning committee charged with exploring approaches for effective domestic observation for 2007.

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