CEPO Director Edmund Yakani | Photo: Awan Moses/Eye Radio.

The head of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization warned against political mobilization for elections by alleged political elites and parties before the reconstitution of electoral bodies.

Edmund Yakani said his organization is raising “serious” concerns about actions of political elites and parties on pre-election engagements.

“The political elites and parties are in an electoral preparatory mood while the government institutions concerned with the electoral process are not in existing or are non-functional due to a lack of timely reconstitution by the presidency,” he said.

Yakani calls on the presidency to reconstitute the relevant electoral institutions responsible for the conduct of and preparation for elections before the end of this month.

These are the Political Parties’ council, National Elections Commission, and National Constitution Review Commission.

The activist says public mistrust and lack of confidence are growing due to the delay in reconstituting the institutions that have direct roles and responsibilities in the conduct of the general elections in 2024.

“Daily, the public is questioning the political leadership for credible and peaceful elections if they are seriously delaying the reconstitution of the concerned institutions that have direct and primary responsibility for creating a conducive environment for the conduct of credible and peaceful elections.”

Yakani said the speculations about a questionable credibility or rigging of the upcoming elections “may come true” if the reconstitution of the elections-related institutions is delayed more from April 2023.

“Already electoral campaigns have started and early electoral accusations are already pronounced before the existence of national institutions for the conduct of elections.”

“This is a risk and the political leadership needs to act urgently on the reconstitution of national electoral institutions and enactment or ratification of the National Elections Act amendments.”