Probe death of Kenya election IT head - Mahama

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) has announced that Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Africa, will join an global, bipartisan election delegation deployed to Kenya to observe the August 8 general elections.

Mr. Mac Manu is a former National Chairman of the party is now the Honourary Chairman of DUA.

The former president of Ghana is leading a 15 member election observer mission in Kenya that is composed of eminent persons from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and Pacific regions.

On Election Day, Mr Mahama said the team will closely monitor the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes as well as issue an interim report two days later.

"This is a watershed election in Kenya and its successful completion will reaffirm the country's status as a mature democracy", Mahama remarked, adding the commonwealth observer mission will remain impartial during the voting exercise.

Mahama jetted into Nairobi yesterday morning under the invitation of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, IEBC. The delegation will conduct its assessment in accordance with Kenyan law and the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation.

DUA condemns in no uncertain terms the circumstances under which the Deputy Director of IT of the IEBC disappeared and died.

Kenyan newspaper, The Star reported that Mr Musando's body was found with one arm missing. Our presence here affirms the support of the Commonwealth to Kenya and its democratic processes.

NDI spokesman Jerry Hartz said on Thursday that the Institute's 30-member delegation will work in partnership with the 7000 observers being deployed by Kenya's Election Observation Group.

Kenyans are due to go to the polls on Tuesday but the killing of a top electoral official has sparked fears of violence.