The National Independent Electoral Commission-CENI has , this 12 March 2019, met different actors to talk about the preparation of the 2020 elections.
Pierre Claver Kazihise: “Everyone should take their responsibility to
prepare peaceful elections in 2020”
Pierre Claver Kazihise, CENI chairman, says the electoral period is a crucial period on which the whole country depends and elections show how far a country has come to political maturity in terms of democracy. “This is the reason why CENI has gathered different actors to discuss what should be done to prepare democratic and peaceful elections”.
He says democracy and election are intertwined. “You cannot hold elections where there is no democracy, either you cannot pretend there is democracy where there are no free and fair elections”, he says adding that there is democracy when there are human rights’ respect and dialogue as well as when the government conforms to the rule of law.
Mr. Kazihise says everyone should take their responsibility to prepare peaceful elections in 2020. “Administrative officials, women, youth, religious leaders …have to preach that the electoral period is not a period of fight between different parties, instead it is a good time to choose leaders following the plans and projects they present to the electors”.
He calls on politicians from different parties to teach their members especially young people about the importance of democracy and peaceful elections for their brighter future.
CENI Chairman appeals to civil society organizations that would like to work together with the National Independent Electoral Commission during the 2020 elections to approach this commission so that they can plan how they will work.
He says this is a launch of a sensitization campaign throughout the country to prepare peaceful elections in 2020.
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