Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The United Nations said Saturday it would hold talks in Sudan to try to get the country's democratic transition back on track after it was derailed by an October military coup.

The UN offer came a week after embattled Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok resigned, citing the failure to reach a compromise between the military and the pro-democracy movement.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok

The United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America have welcomed the United Nations Secretary-General’s announcement that the UN Interim Transition Assistance Mission to Sudan is facilitating discussions to resolve Sudan’s political crisis.

Volker Perthes, the UN envoy for Sudan, said in a statement that the talks would seek a "sustainable path forward towards democracy and peace” in the country. It wasn't clear when discussions might begin.

"It is time to end the violence and enter into a constructive process. This process will be inclusive,” he said.

In a statement today, the QUAD said, "We strongly support this UN-facilitated, Sudanese-led dialogue initiative. We urge all Sudanese political actors to seize this opportunity to restore the country’s transition to civilian democracy, in line with the 2019 Constitutional Declaration.

"We look forward to this being a result-oriented process that will guide the country towards democratic elections, in line with the Sudanese people’s manifest aspirations for freedom, democracy, peace, justice and prosperity." Gulf Today

LAMU, Kenya, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police said Friday it has launched investigations into the killing of the four security officers after being ambushed by the bandits in the coastal Lamu region.

National Police Service Spokesperson Bruno Shioso said a team of security officers are also pursuing bandits who ambushed a security vehicle that was on patrol along Lamu-Garsen road at around 9:00 a.m. on Friday.

"Police officers who were onboard responded swiftly and managed to repulse the bandits, unfortunately there were casualties," Shioso said in a brief statement.

The scene on the Lamu-Garsen road is a secluded location which is also a renowned hotspot where militants have launched tens of attacks on security and civilian vehicles in the past.

A security officer in Lamu said police officers who were on a different vehicle fought back amid reports a number of the attackers believed to be al-Shabab militants were injured.

The bandits attacked the police vehicle using a rocket-propelled grenade in the same area where a senior government official was killed in 2018.

The security officer said the militants found it impossible to launch improvised explosive device (IED) attacks on security vehicles as has been their norm and thus resolved to the use of grenades.

Lamu County has been in the spotlight for some years now owing to increased scathing attacks by the militants that have left hordes of security officers and civilians dead. - Xinhua

Photo Courtesy IEBC

By JULIUS MBALUTO

In a media briefing held at Lake Naivasha Resort, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati has shared that the Commission is determined to progressively actualize the right of Kenyans in Prisons and those living outside the country to participate in General Election. Regulation 34(2) of the Elections (Registration of Voters) Regulations 2012 provides that:

“A decision by the Commission to register Kenyan citizens residing outside Kenya or to conduct elections outside Kenya shall be based on the presence of Kenyan embassy, High Commission or Consulate.”

ECVR II will also augment the right to register as a voter for Kenyans living outside the country (diaspora) and prisoners. In addition to Kenyans in Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa, which participated in 2017 General Election, the Commission will extend diaspora voter registration exercise to seven more countries namely, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, South Sudan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Germany.

Key Dates

The Chairman shared that the voter registration for citizens residing outside Kenya will start on 21^st and end on 6^th February 2022. Voter registration will be conducted during the official working hours at the Kenyan Embassies and Consulates in respective countries.

The Commission will use Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits to capture voters’ details such as fingerprints, photo, name, passport number, Identity Card number, polling center and country of residence.

Those who will have traveled home

In countries with multiple registration centers (USA, Canada, UAE and Tanzania), there will be an additional BVR kit for registration of voters in those centers. The Commission will avail a BVR kit in Huduma Center in GPO, Nairobi, to enable voter registration services to eligible diaspora citizens who will have traveled to Kenya during this registration period. 

 Requirements to register as a voter

Kenyan citizens residing outside Kenya who apply for registration as a voter must fulfil the following conditions: produce evidence of citizenship which is a valid Kenyan passport, be of eighteen years of age and above, and present their identification document to the Registration Officer stationed at a designated registration center. However, Kenyans residing within the East African Community can use their Identity Card as proof of their citizenship.

During this ECVR II, a voter previously registered in Kenya but wishing to vote in Diaspora country by visiting their preferred registration center in the Diaspora to change their voting station. Similarly, those who had previously registered in a Diaspora but wish to vote in Kenya should visit their preferred constituency IEBC office in Kenya and change their voting station.

Diaspora only votes for Presidential candidate

It is important to note that a registered voter in diaspora country will only be voting for the Presidential elective position. IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati says that the Commission is planning and putting in measures to ensure free, fair, credible, verifiable, accountable, and transparent General Election.

In line with Section 8A of the Election Act 2011, IEBC will engage reputable professional firm 6 months before the date of the election to audit the register of voters for accuracy. The Professional firm will give their report within 30 days and the commission will thereafter implement the report.

IEBC has now cleared 82 registered political parties to participate in General Election 2022. It has also approved the nomination rules of the 82 political parties and they are now ready to participate. 

On 19^th January 2022 IEBC will publish in Kenya Gazette a notice of the General Election of the Office of President, Members of Parliament, and Members of County Assembly. This notice marks the commencement of the election period.

After the publication, Election Offences Act 2016 and Electoral Code of Conduct will be in force.The Electoral Code of Conduct will cover the Party Primaries and any breach of the code will be adjudicated by the IEBC Electoral Code of Conduct Enforcement Committee, which is created under the Election Act.

As per the provisions of the Elections Act, 2011, public officers who are keen to contest in the 2022 General Election should vacate office by 9^th February 2022.