AFRICAN UNION ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION REPORT: …



AFRICAN UNIONFINAL REPORT OF THE AFRICAN UNION ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION TO THE 3-4 AUGUST 2017 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDATABLE OF CONTENTS TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u ACRONYMS PAGEREF _Toc857134 \h 3ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PAGEREF _Toc857135 \h 4EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PAGEREF _Toc857136 \h 5I.INTRODUCTION PAGEREF _Toc857137 \h 6II.PRE-ELECTION PERIOD PAGEREF _Toc857138 \h 9a. Constitutional and Legal Framework PAGEREF _Toc857139 \h 9b. Electoral System PAGEREF _Toc857140 \h 10a.Election Management PAGEREF _Toc857141 \h 10b.Voter registration PAGEREF _Toc857142 \h 11c.Candidate nomination PAGEREF _Toc857143 \h 11d.Election Campaigns PAGEREF _Toc857144 \h 12e.Participation of Women, Minority and Marginalized Groups PAGEREF _Toc857145 \h 12f.Civic and voter education PAGEREF _Toc857146 \h 13g.The Role of the Media PAGEREF _Toc857147 \h 13h.Role of Civil Society PAGEREF _Toc857148 \h 14III.ELECTION DAY AND POST ELECTION OBSERVATION PAGEREF _Toc857149 \h 15a.Opening procedures PAGEREF _Toc857150 \h 15b.Voting Process PAGEREF _Toc857151 \h 15c.Closing and counting processes PAGEREF _Toc857152 \h 16d.Tabulation of Results PAGEREF _Toc857153 \h 16e.Announcement of results. PAGEREF _Toc857154 \h 16VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS PAGEREF _Toc857155 \h 18a.Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc857156 \h 18b.Recommendations PAGEREF _Toc857157 \h 18ACRONYMSACDEGAfrican Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance AUAfrican Union AUCAfrican Union Commission AUEOMAfrican Union Election Observation Mission CSO Civil Society OrganisationDGPRDemocratic Green Party of Rwanda EACEast African Community EISA Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in AfricaEMB Election Management BodyEOMElection Observation Mission GNUGovernment of National UnityNECNational Electoral Commission NFPONational Consultative Forum of Political Organisations PAPPan African ParliamentPRCPermanent Representatives CommitteeRCSP Rwanda Civil Society PlatformRMCRwanda Media CommissionRNPRwanda National Police RPF Rwanda Patriotic FrontRURARwanda Utilities Regulatory AuthoritySTOShort Term ObserversACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The AUEOM to Rwanda expresses its profound appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of the Mission. The AUEOM is particularly grateful to His Excellency Dioncounda Traore, Former President of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali, for successfully leading the Mission. The Mission is also grateful for the technical and logistical support provided by staff from the African Union Commission and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA). Finally, the AUEOM expresses its gratitude to the observers who contributed their time, commitment and hard work to make the Mission a success. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to the 3 – 4 August 2017 Presidential Election in Rwanda was deployed from 23 July to 9 August 2017. The purpose of the AUEOM was to (a) make an independent, impartial and objective assessment of the 4 August 2017 Presidential Election in Rwanda and the extent to which the election met regional, continental and international standards for credible elections; (b) offer recommendations for the improvement of future electoral processes based on its findings and; (c) demonstrate the African Union’s solidarity and support for Rwanda’s democratic and electoral processes.Based on its observations and consultations held before, during and after the election, the AUEOM made the following findings:The August 2017 election was the third presidential election since Rwanda’s return to peace following the 1994 genocide. Since then the country has made concerted efforts to restore political and social cohesion, build consensus and tolerance, including passing laws that provide for multiparty democracy, prohibit discrimination on ethnic grounds and the propagation of genocidal ideology; The 2017 presidential election came after the 17-18 December 2015 referendum which led to constitutional changes that made it possible for the incumbent president Paul Kagame to contest for another term in office, as well as shortening presidential terms of office from seven to five years, although the latter change would not come into effect until 2024. These constitutional changes received overwhelming support from Rwandan citizens and were approved by 98% of voters; The pre-election period was calm and peaceful. Six aspirants stood for nomination as presidential candidates, for which only three were successful; Campaigning was peaceful although it was dominated by incumbent president Paul Kagame and his party, the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF);Proposals for the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to approve the social media content of candidates before public dissemination were halted after a public outcry and the intervention of the regulatory authority in charge of the media industry; Preparations for the elections proceeded as scheduled, and all election materials were delivered to polling stations ahead of the Election Day;There was a large voter turnout on the Election Day, with the voting taking place in a calm and celebratory atmosphere. Most of the voters were familiar with the voting procedures as the election recorded very few cases of spoilt ballots; and The AUEOM noted that only the RPF candidate was well represented by his polling agents at the polling stations visited. Whilst the closing and counting process was contention-free in most polling stations where the Mission observed the counting, reconciliation procedures were not properly followed. In the spirit of cooperation and deepening of democracy within African Union member states, the AUEOM made the following recommendations for the improvement of future elections in Rwanda:Amend the laws preventing disqualified presidential aspirants to challenge their disqualification through legal means. This is in keeping with the right of political participation enshrined in the Rwanda Constitution, as well as continental and international instruments which guarantee right of political participation of individuals to which Rwanda has committed itself; Amend the legal framework in order to allow for state funding of electoral campaigns, as well as improving mechanisms for the regulation of campaign financing, including the disclosure of the source of funding for political parties’ campaigns; Consider introducing measures that address problems associated with reconciliation of ballots as a result of allowing persons with official duties on Election Day to vote in stations where they are not originally registered;Improve training of electoral staff of the NEC, especially on counting procedures and also to increase their knowledge and understanding on the role of international observers in the electoral process; and Based on its observations and its findings, the AUEOM concludes that voting took place in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner. INTRODUCTIONAt the invitation of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) of Rwanda, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat, approved the deployment of a Short-Term African Union Election Observation Mission, from 23 July to 9 August 2017, to observe the 3-4 August 2017 Presidential Election in the Republic of Rwanda.The Mission was led by His Excellency Dioncounda Traore, former President of the Transitional Government of the Republic of Mali and comprised 34 short-term observers (STOs) drawn from 23 African countries, from institutions such as the African Union Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).The AUEOM derived its mandate to observe the election from the principles and standards for the conduct of democratic elections in Africa, stipulated in the relevant African Union (AU) instruments, namely, the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), which came into force in 2012; the 2002 OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa (AHG/Decl.1 (XXXVIII) and the African Union Guidelines for Election Observation and Monitoring Missions, both adopted by the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State in July 2002; and the legal framework of Rwanda. The AUEOM to Rwanda further derived its mandate from the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, which the AU endorsed in 2005.This final report presents the AUEOM’s overall assessment of the 3-4 August 2017 Presidential Election, and provides details of its observations, findings and recommendations. In view of its late deployment to Rwanda, the Mission focused its observation work mainly on the management of Election Day operations, tabulation and announcement of results. This means that the AUEOM was not in a position to comprehensively assess the election process. The objectives of the AUEOM were to: (a) make an independent, impartial and objective assessment of the 4 August 2017 Presidential Election in Rwanda and to assess the extent to which the election met regional, continental and international standards for credible elections; (b) offer recommendations for the improvement of future electoral processes based on its findings and; (c) demonstrate the African Union’s solidarity and support for Rwanda’s democratic and electoral processes.In order to achieve its objectives above, the AUEOM undertook the following activities:Conducted a three-day briefing and orientation programme for its observers in Kigali from 29 – 31 July 2017. The briefing was meant to update the election observers on the political, legal and electoral context, as well as introducing them to AU’s election observation methodology, including election data gathering and analysis; Deployed 34 STOs in teams of two on 1 August 2017 to cover the five (5) provinces and 30 districts in Rwanda. The STOs activities included direct observation of the pre-election period and Election Day operations. In their areas of deployment, the observers met with local level electoral stakeholders, observed the last day of campaign, and the delivery of materials to polling stations;Prior to Election Day, the Head of the AUEOM, met several stakeholders in Kigali, including some presidential candidates, the Chairperson of NEC, the Chief of Police, and heads of other international election observation missions. These meetings were meant to aid the Mission to better understand and exchange information on the political context of Rwanda and preparation for the election;On Election Day, the AUEOM observed the voting process at 195 polling stations, covering opening, voting process, closing and counting of votes at the polling stations;Held a post-election debriefing session on 5 August 2017. This was meant to allow observers and the Core Team based in Kigali to compare notes on findings from the field, and to review and adopt the Mission’s statement of preliminary findings and conclusion; andIssued a preliminary statement on its findings and recommendations at a press conference held at the Radisson Park Inn Hotel, Kigali, on 6 August 2017.PRE-ELECTION PERIODThe 3-4 August 2017 Presidential election was the third since the return to peace following the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The first and second Presidential elections were held in 2003 and 2010. The election came after the 17-18 December 2015 referendum which led to constitutional changes that made it possible for the incumbent president Paul Kagame to run for a new mandate, as well as shortening presidential terms of office from seven to five years, although the latter change would not come into effect until 2024. These constitutional changes received overwhelming support from Rwandan citizens and were approved by around 98% of voters. The AUEOM noted that the political environment in which the electoral process took place was generally calm and peaceful, despite the fact that six candidates filed applications to contest the election but only three succeeded in being nominated to stand as candidates in the election.a. Constitutional and Legal FrameworkThe legal framework for elections in Rwanda includes the following:The Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda 2003 (as amended in 2015);Law No 03/2010 of 18 June 2010 Governing Presidential and Legislative Elections;Law No 27/2010 of 19/06/2010 Relating to Elections; Law No. 31/2005 of 24 December 2005 relating to the Organisation and Functioning of the National Electoral Commission;Law N° 02/2013 of 08 February 2013 Regulating the Media;Organic Law N° 10/2013/0L of 11 July 2013 governing Political Organizations and Politicians; and Instruction No 01 /2017 of 04/04/2017 of the National Electoral Commission regulating 2017 Presidential as modified and complemented by Instructions No 02/2017 of 31/05/2017.The Constitution provides for universal and equal adult suffrage for all citizens. It recognises the equality of all Rwandans and prohibits discrimination. The Constitution also guarantees the freedoms of the press, of expression, of association, access to information, and the right of citizens to participate in governance as voters or as elected representatives.The specific guidelines for the conduct of Presidential Election are given in Law No 03 of 2010 governing Presidential and Legislative Elections, which also puts in place measures to ensure free and fair elections. This law outlines the provisions for registration of voters, nomination of candidates, campaigning, access to media voting, vote counting, electoral dispute resolution, and announcement of election results. For the 2017 election, the provisions in the Organic law were further elaborated in the Instructions No. 01/2017 of 04/04/2017 of the National Electoral Commission regulating the 2017 Presidential Elections as amended by Instructions No. 02/2017 of 31/05/2017.The AUEOM noted the absence of provisions in the legal framework for public financing of election campaigns for contesting political parties, and as such, found that as a gap which may limit the ability of some candidates to mount an effective campaign and compete fairly on a levelled playing field. Furthermore, there are no provisions in the legal framework to regulate the campaign spending of political parties.b. Electoral System Rwanda is a constitutional republic where the President is the Head of State and of Government. The President is elected through the simple majoritarian or First-Past-The-Post system where the candidate with the highest number of voters wins the election. In the event of two leading candidates receiving the same number of votes, a second round of election between those two candidates is organised within a month from the date of announcement of the final results. Election ManagementThe National Electoral Commission (NEC) is responsible for preparing and organising referenda, Local Government, Parliamentary, Presidential elections, and any other elections as may be mandated by law. The current NEC is composed of seven (7) Commissioners of whom two are lawyers and 30% women. The NEC has legal independence, but collaborates with government institutions such as the Office of the President of Republic, Parliament, Supreme Court, and Ministry of Local Government in the execution of its mandate. It receives its funding from the Government. The AUEOM noted that the NEC largely adhered to its electoral calendar. As part of its preparation for the August 2017 election, the NEC recruited a total of 70, 675 volunteers as short term election staff. The use of volunteers and the production of some election materials locally such as ballot papers greatly reduced the cost of conducting the elections. The Mission further noted that the election was largely funded by the Government of Rwanda, which covered 98% of the budget, whilst the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) covered the remaining 2%.The AUEOM applauds the arrangements made by the NEC that enabled Rwandans in the diaspora to exercise their right to vote on 3 August 2017. This measure was in compliance with AU’s principles governing democratic elections in Africa, which calls on member states to take necessary measures to ensure citizens participate fully in the electoral processes of the country. Overall, the Mission assessed that the NEC was adequately prepared for the elections. Voter registration The AUEOM was not present during the voter registration. However, the Mission was informed by stakeholders that the voters’ list for the 2017 Presidential election was extracted from the National Civil Registry. The updating and exhibition of the voters list took place in February and May 2017, respectively. At the end of the process, there were 6,897 076 voters on the final list of eligible voters. The AUEOM did not receive any complaint regarding the quality and inclusiveness of the voters’ register. The stakeholders the Mission interacted with largely expressed satisfaction with the voters’ register.Candidate nomination The nomination of candidates, which entails submission of documentation and verification of candidates by the NEC took place from 12 June to 7 July 2017. From 12 - 23 June, prospective candidates were required to present proof that they met the requirements as provided in Article 99 of the 2003 Constitution. The 2003 Constitution requires a candidate to be of Rwandan nationality by origin and not hold any other nationality; be irreproachable in his or her conduct and social relations; not to have been definitively sentenced to an imprisonment of six (6) months or more; not to have been deprived of civil and political rights by a Court decision; be at least 35 years old at the time of his or her candidacy, and reside in Rwanda at the time of his or her candidature. Candidates were also required to submit a dossier with supporting documentation for their candidature as outlined in Article 83 of the Law Governing Presidential and Legislative Elections and Articles 21 and 22 of the NEC Instructions on the Presidential Elections.Further to these requirements, a candidate wishing to contest on behalf of a political party was required to produce a written endorsement from the party, whilst a person wishing to contest as an independent candidate was required to produce a list of 600 eligible voters who endorsed his or her candidature. It is required that the 600 endorsers should include at least 12 people registered in each of Rwanda’s 30 districts. The provisional list of qualified candidates was announced on 27 June 2017. Candidates who did not meet all the documentation requirements were given an opportunity to update their applications. On 7 July 2017, the NEC announced that out of six (6) candidates that filed applications to contest the election, only three (3) successfully met the requirements for nomination as candidates. The three successful candidates were: Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR), Paul Kagame of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), and Phillipe Mpayimana (an independent candidate). The other three (3) aspiring candidates – all independent candidates – were disqualified on the following grounds:Mr. Gilbert Mwenedata – insufficient number of valid signatures (submitted only 522 signatures), missing signatures from one district, and inclusion of dead people amongst the submitted signatures;Mr. Fred Sekikubo Barafinda – insufficient signatures (submitted only 362 signatures) lack of certificate of citizenship and no certificate of citizenship from his parents. Insufficient signatures from 18 of the districts; and Ms. Diane Nshimiyimana Rwigara – insufficient signatures – candidate submitted only 572 signatures, as well as signatures of dead people on the list.The AUEOM noted, however, that the law does not provide avenues for disqualified aspirants to appeal the decision of the NEC. Election Campaigns Election campaigns began on 14 July 2017 and ended on 3 August 2017. The AUEOM observed only the last three days of the campaign. However, it noted that the campaign atmosphere was generally peaceful. There were no major election related incidents observed or reported. However, the Mission observed that the ruling RFP candidate dominated the campaign environment, with an overwhelming visibility compared to the other candidates, whose campaigns were less visible. The Mission observed that majority of the campaign events and materials were for the RPF candidate, whose rallies were well attended and characterised by animated atmosphere. The Mission noted that the campaign disparity among the candidates may have impacted on the election outcome. Participation of Women, Minority and Marginalized GroupsRwanda is known for its highest level of women representation in the legislature in Africa and across the world, with 61% of the members of the present Chamber of Deputies being women. The high representation of women in the legislature is credited in part to a conducive legal framework, which does not only provide for equality of men and women but goes further to provide that women should occupy at least 30% of all positions in decision-making organs. This is stipulated further in the law regulating the NEC, which provides that at least 30% of its commissioners should be female. Currently, 4 out of the 7 commissioners are women. Figures released by the NEC showed that about 54% of registered voters for the 2017 presidential election were women. The NEC also informed the AUEOM that about 46% of the polling station volunteers were women. The AUEOM commended Rwandan stakeholders for ensuring the high participation of women in the electoral process. One (1) of the six (6) aspiring presidential candidates was a woman. However, the Mission noted with dissatisfaction of the reports of publications of nude photos of the only female aspirant, which was designed to potentially humiliate or intimidate her to drop out of the presidential race. Article 16 of the 2003 Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of physical or mental disability. The AUEOM observed that on Election Day, the majority of polling stations visited by AU observers were easily accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, the Mission observed a high-level of youth participation in the election, both as voters and election officials. Civic and voter education The AUEOM noted that the NEC carried out voter education and sensitisation using several methods, including print and electronic media, billboards, posters and pamphlets. In addition, the NEC trained local leaders to deliver voter education, particularly during community meetings. The AUEOM noted that these combined efforts helped to ensure that the voters were well informed and able to participate in the process in large numbers. On the Election Day, the AUEOM noted that there were few spoilt ballots. The NEC’s final statistics showed that only 0.18 % ballot papers were invalid. The Role of the Media Media in Rwanda is regulated by Law No 02/2013 of 08/02/2013. This law determines the rights, obligations, organisation and functioning of the media. Access to information is regulated by Law No 04/2013 of 08/02/2013. Although the operating environment for media in Rwanda has improved with the passing of this legislation, there are still provisions in the legislation which inhibit the freedom of the press. These include criminalisation of defamation, prohibitions of reporting on sensitive issues, potential forced disclosure of sources, and the seizure of documents and recordings. Because of these stringent regulations, the media in Rwanda is reported as largely self-censored. Nonetheless, the media landscape in Rwanda is diverse with over 32 radio stations, 12 TV channels, 50 newspapers and magazines and over 80 web-based media houses representing both the private and public sector which covered the election extensively. Exchanges and interactions on social media also enlivened the electoral campaigns.The Mission noted with satisfaction that provisions in the Presidential Instructions No. 01/2017 issued by the NEC which aimed to regulate and control social media content of candidates were removed after they were adjudged by the Court to be in violation of the freedom of expression.Role of Civil Society Civil society participation in the election was primarily carried out through civic education and election observation. The majority of the civil society organisations were organised under the Rwanda Civil Society Platform (RCSP) for the purpose of observing the election. ELECTION DAY AND POST ELECTION OBSERVATION The AUEOM deployed 15 teams of two each to observe the Election Day operations in all the five provinces of Rwanda. The teams observed the opening, closing and counting procedures in 15 polling stations and voting in 195 polling stations across the country. The Mission noted that the Election Day procedures took place in a calm and peaceful atmosphere. In all the polling stations visited by the Mission observers, there was adequate security provided by members of the Rwanda National Police (RNP), who maintained a discreet and professional presence throughout the day. Opening procedures The AUEOM teams observed the opening of the poll at 15 polling stations, all of which were located in urban areas. All polling stations visited opened on time. Election materials were available in sufficient quantity in all polling stations visited throughout the day. Staff largely followed opening procedures stipulated by the law. Voting Process The AUEOM observed the voting process in 195 polling stations. The Mission noted that the voting process proceeded smoothly, with no incidents or interruption observed or reported. The full complement of four (4) polling staff were observed in every polling station visited. Majority of these were women. The conduct of the polling officials and security officials was assessed as generally good and professional by the observer teams. Most of polling stations visited were accessible to persons with disabilities. Brail-ballot papers were provided for the visually impaired voters.The AUEOM also noted that only the RPF party agents were present in most polling stations visited. The AUEOM observed the presence of agents representing the DGPR and the independent candidate, Philippe Mpayimana in few polling stations. The NEC reported that 1,726 domestic and international observers were accredited to observe the election. The AUEOM, however, noted only a limited presence of domestic observers at the polling stations visited. Where they were observed they were able to perform their duties without hindrance. The AU observers reported that, presiding officers in some cases, refused to provide necessary information to international observers when requested.Of a major concern to the AUEOM was the fact that ballot papers were issued without any serial numbers or official marks which are necessary for verification of the authenticity of the ballot papers in the ballot box during counting. Closing and counting processesAUEOM teams observed the closing and counting processes in 15 polling stations at the same polling stations where they had earlier observed the opening process. All the polling stations observed closed on time at 3 pm.While the competence of polling staff during the opening and the voting process was assessed as mostly good and professional by the AU observers, some polling staff did not follow the prescribed procedures during the closing and counting process. In particular, the AU observers observed that some polling officials did not undertake reconciliation of ballots or complete the relevant forms before commencing the count of the votes cast. In some cases, discrepancies were found during the counting process but were not corrected by polling officials. The Mission noted that some of the discrepancies observed in the reconciliation of ballots were due to the provision allowing personnel with special duties on Election Day to cast their ballots in polling stations where they were not originally registered. The AUEOM noted that the results were announced and displayed at the polling stations where counting was observed, which contributed to the transparency of the process. No complaints or interference were reported by AU observers. Tabulation of Results Votes were counted and tabulated in a process that began with counting and announcement of results at each polling station. After the announcement at the polling station level, the results for all the polling stations at the polling centre were consolidated and announced, and thereafter transmitted to the sector coordinator who forwarded them to the district coordinator where the results for all the polling stations in the district are consolidated and announced at the district level. The district results were sent to the NEC which had a five-day timeline to consolidate and announce provisional results. There was also a seven-day timeline for the announcement of the final result to which the NEC adhered to.The AU observers witnessed the counting of votes and announcement of votes up to the polling centre level, and noted that the process proceeded mostly in line with the designated procedures apart from the reconciliation of ballots which has been highlighted in Chapter IV above. Announcement of results. According to the Presidential Election Calendar released by the NEC, provisional results were due to be announced by 9 August 2017 and final results by 16 August 2017. The NEC announced provisional results on 5 August 2017, and the final results on 9 August 2017. The table below shows the results of the 2017 presidential election. Table 1: Results of the Rwanda Presidential Election 3-4 August 2017Candidate Political partyNo.of votes % of votes Frank Habineza Democratic Green party of Rwanda (DGPR) 32 7010.48%Paul KagameRwanda Patriotic Front (RPF)6 675 47298.79%Phillipe MpayimanaIndependent 49 0310.73%Valid Votes6 757 20499.82%Invalid Votes 12 310 0.18%Total votes cast/Voter turnout6 769 51498.15% Source: NEC website: .rwThe AUEOM noted with satisfaction the speedy manner in which the tabulation and announcement of results was concluded. It further noted and commended the acceptance of the election result by the two losing candidates.Following the announcement of final results by the NEC, the winner, President Paul Kagame, was inaugurated at the President of Rwanda on 18 August 2017.VI. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Conclusion Based on its overall observations and findings, the AUEOM concluded that the electoral process took place in a peaceful, orderly and transparent manner. Recommendations Based on its observations and findings, the AUEOM offers the following recommendations to improve future electoral processes. The National Electoral Commission:Consider introducing measures that address problems associated with reconciliation of ballots as a result of allowing persons with official duties on Election Day to vote in stations where they are not originally registered;Consider introducing measures for validating ballots papers to enable polling officials verify its authenticity, and aslo to prevent the possibility of introduction of counterfeit ballots papers; and Consider improving the training of the polling staff on voting procedures, particularly on counting procedures, in order to ensure accuracy and increased credibility of the process. Political Parties:Encourage more women to stand for the highest office in the land; and Deploy sufficient representatives to polling stations in order to ensure transparency and promote credibility in managing of the voting processes. The Government and Parliament:Consider amending the legislation to provide campaign funding for candidates in order to ensure a level playing field; Consider the introduction of legislation that will regulate the campaign spending of parties and candidates including provisions for disclosure of sources of campaign funding; and Consider the introduction of legislation that provides avenues for disqualified aspirants to challenge their disqualification. ................
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