AU Observers-the chief of mission is second left
African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) has commended Rwanda for a culture of holding peaceful elections
African Union (AU) launched its election observation mission in Rwanda on July 22 with the deployment of 30 short-term observers (STOs) drawn from 20 African countries.
Led by Aichatou Mindaoudou Souleymane, the AU team on Thursday – September 6, 2018, released its preliminary findings and recommendation on the September 3 polls.
The 30 observers were divided into 12 teams that were deployed in 155 polling stations from across the country.
“There is evidence of democracy and transparency in Rwanda’s election process. Other African countries can learn from this example – that elections is not a war and should be done in fraternity and friendly manner because life goes on after,” Souleymane said in a response to different questions from the media.
Souleymane said that the AU team was on time and observed the election process as much as they could but agreed that the team of observers should be increased in future so as to reach more, if not all polling stations.
“I will take this (demand for increasing observers) as a recommendation in my report to the AU Commission” Souleymane told KTPress.
AU has been sending its observers in all major presidential and parliamentary elections in Rwanda.
The AUEOM also recommended that the National Electoral Commission (NEC) continues to create elections awareness and citizen education.
They should also continue to build capacity of volunteers in election management.
For the government, AUEOM recommended the pursuit and maintenance of the climate of peace and security for promotion of democracy and rule of law.
They recommended that the government should keep encouraging greater representation of political parties in election observation.
The AU mission’s final report is expected to be released within two months of the announcement.
The observers hail from South Africa, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria DR Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Chad, Togo, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe.
