EAC Election Observer Mission for Legislative Elections in Burundi
An EAC Election Observer Mission is in the Republic of Burundi for the Legislative elections in the country, slated for 23 July 2010.
The Mission seeks to assess whether conditions exist for the conduct of elections that allow the people of Burundi to freely express their will and determine whether elections are conducted in accordance with the legal framework for elections in Burundi.
Its other objectives are to determine whether the final results of the electoral process as a whole reflect the wishes of the people of Burundi; and to assess whether the elections meet the benchmarks set out in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the UN Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Hon. Lydia Wanyoto Mutende, a Member of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) heads the 25-member Mission which comprises EALA members; Members of National Assemblies from the Republic of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and United Republic of Tanzania; Members from the EAC Partner States’ Electoral Commissions; Members from the Partner States Human Rights Commissions; Membership from the Private Sector; and officials from the EAC Secretariat.
In carrying out its work, the Mission will be guided by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers and the draft EAC Guidelines for Elections Observation, Monitoring and Evaluation. The principles require that the Observers should understand and respect the law governing the elections, the social, cultural and historic back ground of the society in which the Elections are being conducted.
The EAC Election Observer Mission is in Burundi at the invitation of National Independent Electoral Commission of Burundi (CENI). A similar mission was in the country last month to monitor the presidential election held on 28 June.
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