PROFESSIONAL, OCCUPATIONAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATIONS CALL FOR PATIENCE AND CALM
STATEMENT ON THE 2022 GENERAL ELECTIONS
Nairobi, Sunday 14 August – Fourteen of Kenya’s largest organizations, associations, and trade unions representing over 100,000 workers, head teachers, health workers, lawyers, built environment professionals, and human rights defenders applaud Kenyans for conducting themselves peacefully during the elections and call for calm as results are verified at the national tallying centre.
We commend the Police Service for their professional conduct in protecting Kenyans as well as providing security during the electioneering period. We also commend all independent offices, constitutional commissions, peace and mediation teams for their oversight and response to the few incidents of election offences reported.
We congratulate all those who have won elective seats. We have made history as for the first time, seven county governments will be governed by women, and we will have at least 74 women elected as Members of the National Assembly. These are great strides in the continued quest for gender equality in political representation. We are incredibly impressed by many candidates who have gracefully conceded defeat and pledged to work with the winners. Such efforts go a long way in displaying leadership and fostering cohesion after the competition
All Kenyans retain the fundamental right to free expression and access to diverse information sources during an election. We encourage the IEBC and media houses to continue to maintain the level of transparency and frequently update the public. However, we are concerned over the deliberate disinformation and misinformation of some members of the public. We call on all political candidates, their supporters, and the public to exercise restraint. We must all avoid raising tensions that could easily trigger violence. We urge all social media users to verify all information before sharing.
We remind all Kenyans that the constitutional deadline of seven days for the announcement of presidential results has not lapsed. We call for patience and calm as IEBC verifies the election results and announces the duly next elected President.
Kenya is governed by fidelity to the rule of law. The constitution remains our guiding light during this electoral period. These laws entrust various institutions with specific responsibilities. Only the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is mandated to conduct elections, tally, and verify votes, and announce poll results. We call on all political candidates and their supporters to allow this process to proceed constitutionally towards its logical conclusion. Those with legitimate complaints are encouraged to be patient while IEBC completes its constitutional role. All aggrieved parties will then have the right to go to court and seek legal redress.
We also call on the government, through the Head of Public Service and the Presidential Transition Committee, to ensure continuity of government services through this time and in the coming weeks. This must include the payment of salaries to public employees as we await the results and transition to a new government.
We also remind the nation that a protracted contentious post-election period will increase social tension, that if left unchecked will trigger violence and displacement. It will overturn the gains made this far in reconciling and creating a cohesive nation. It will also reverse post-COVID economic recovery and reduce investor confidence. We must avoid increasing job redundancies and loss of livelihoods, destroying community assets, and restricting access to justice, essential health and education services including emergency sexual and gender-based violence support any further. We urge the rest of the nation to swiftly move past the electioneering period.
God bless Kenya!
This statement is released by Kenya’s largest and most influential professional, occupational, and human rights institutions and associations. Combined, the 14 organizations, associations, and trade unions represent over 100,000 workers, head teachers, health workers, lawyers, built environment professionals, and human rights defenders.
For more information contact: Ramadhan Rajab Mobile: +254762790560