The UN Under--Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Jeffrey Feltman has called on Kenyans to conduct the forthcoming elections in a credible and peaceful manner. "Kenya's elections will be watched closely around the world. Let me take this opportunity to appeal to all Kenyans to exercise their democratic right and participate actively - but peacefully – in the elections," Feltman said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Friday.
Kenyans go to the polls on March 4 this year in line with provisions of a new constitution that was enacted in August 2010.
The East African nation has experienced multiple threats to security arising from ordinary crime, sporadic attacks associated with the Al-Shabaab terror group, violent boundary disputes, conflicts over resources, and the activities of illegal groups.
The previous general elections held in December 2007, were followed by post-election violence in which more than 1,200 people were killed, 6,500 injured and up to 600,000 forcibly displaced. The 2007/2008 violence was the most severe that nearly took the country into a civil war following a disputed presidential votes tally.
Some Kenyans attribute the 2007-2008 post-election violence to disputes over tallying of votes but the forthcoming elections will be held under a new constitutional dispensation with a lot of institutional changes.