EAC to harmonise electoral processes

KAMPALA - A statement from the office of the Deputy Secretary General of the Est African Community (EAC) Beatrice Kiraso, announced that partner states are working on a plan to harmonise electoral processes. Kiraso said that the Electoral Commissions of the partner states have established a forum under which the bodies will harmonise laws, policies and practices as well as offer support to each other. ’The region needs to examine ways and means of reducing the costs of elections, but more importantly, to take a firm decision that EAC countries will finance their own elections if they hope to be politically independent,’’ said Kiraso, who is overseeing political federation. She explained that as the EAC integration deepens, there is a realization that successful electoral processes are significant to the peace, stability and development of the entire region. It is reported that EAC Council of Ministers during its last meeting, approved the proposal for Electoral Commissions to form support missions and endorsed the Electoral Support Mission during the forthcoming elections in Burundi. Burundi will hold a series of elections beginning June next year, while Rwanda will carry out Presidential elections in August. The support mission that recently concluded a three-day visit to Bujumbura is made up of chairpersons, commissioners and technical persons from the National Electoral Commissions of the Partner States and ministries responsible for EAC Affairs. Ends