Roundup: UNDP denies plan to influence poll outcome in Kenya

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has denied claims by Kenya of planning to interfere with the country's forthcoming general elections due in August 2017.

The UN agency said in a statement issued on Wednesday evening that its electoral programs are only provided after receiving specific requests from national authorities, which, for Kenya, was received in 2014.

"UN electoral assistance is guided by several principles including national sovereignty and ownership; objective, impartial, neutral and independent assistance; norm-based assistance aimed at furthering respect for all basic human rights and compliance with the rights and principles enshrined in the Charter of the UN," it said.

The UN agency was responding to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta's Dec. 12 speech in which he accused unnamed donors who were intent on influencing the outcome of next year's polls slated for August 2017.

Kenyatta had warned foreign government against attempts to influence next year's general elections by pumping billions into NGOs in the guise of "civic education."

On Monday, Kenyan government barred a U.S.-backed NGO, International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), from conducting a 20-million-U.S.-dollar Kenya Electoral Assistance Program (KEAP), saying it was unregistered. The funds were provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

However, the U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Robert Godec said the allegations were unfounded, noting that the IFES is registered in Kenya under the Companies Act and has legal standing to conduct programs in the East African nation.

The foreign envoys from Western countries have also refuted claims that they are financing electoral programs to influence the outcome of the 2017 polls, saying rather that they were only supporting Kenya's bid to have free, fair and credible polls.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the envoys maintained that their electoral assistance programs are conducted transparently in consultation with the government, political parties and civil society organizations based on lessons learnt in 2013 general election.

The UNDP said it has been involved in similar programs since 2014 in what it says was on Kenya's request to support the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

It said the Strengthening Electoral Processes in Kenya (SEPK) (2015-2018) has been developed, and is implemented in line with these principles.

"The project is aimed at providing technical support to the IEBC and other related government institutions; and encouraging broad-based citizen participation in the electoral process," the UNDP said.

It said the project document was approved and signed by the government (led by the National Treasury) and UNDP in July 2015. It was the product of extensive consultation with various stakeholders. Endit