Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has received a major - TopicsExpress

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) has received a major boost from the international community after the Commonwealth appointed former Vice President, Kalonzo Musyoka, to chair the Commonwealth observer team to the Sri-Lankan election without Uhuru/ Ruto’s approval. Kalonzo’s appointment to lead an international mission despite being in opposition, has sent shock waves to the ruling Jubilee coalition and has caused discomfort to the Jubilee leadership, as it portrays Uhuru/ Ruto’s Government as lacking international voices in electoral justice and diplomacy. This comes even as Uhuru/ Ruto’s Jubilee steeped up efforts to pull Kenya out of the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is currently trying Uhuru and Ruto. While accepting the appointment, Kalonzo noted that it is clear that the international community recognizes that Raila Odinga’s CORD is more democratic than any other coalition in Kenya including Uhuru/ Ruto’s Jubilee. “We have just come from a hotly contested election and the fact that the Commonwealth Secretariat has seen it fit to appoint an opposition leader to lead an observer mission in the Asian Continent speaks volumes”, said Kalonzo Musyoka. Kalonzo will lead a high level team which includes Ms. Jenni McMullan, former Electoral Officer for Victoria, Australia, Dr. Shamshul Huda, former Chief Electoral Commissioner Bangladesh, and Ms Examin Philbert, the Secretary of Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities.