By The Citizen Reporter

Former Prime Minister Salim Ahmed Salim has been appointed to lead a 14-member Commonwealth group that will observe next month’s presidential election in Rwanda.

The group has been formed by the Commonwealth secretary-general Kamalesh Sharma at the invitation of the National Electoral Commission of Rwanda, according to a statement made available to The Citizen in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

“Rwanda is the newest member of the Commonwealth, and we are very pleased to observe these important elections,” Mr Sharma said. 

He added: “Democracy is a key pillar of the Commonwealth, and the credible conduct of a country’s election is an integral and vital element of the democratic process.”

The group’s mandate is to observe preparations for the election, the polling, counting of ballots, announcement of results and the overall electoral environment.

The team is also to assess the conduct of the process as a whole and, where appropriate, make recommendations for the future strengthening of the electoral framework in Rwanda.

The group is required to be impartial and independent and conduct itself according to the standards expressed in the International Declaration of Principles for Election Observation to which the Commonwealth is a signatory.

Other members of the team include Mr Sabihuddin Ahmed (Bangladesh), Mr Art Wright (Canada), Brig Gen (rtd) Francis Agyemfra (Ghana), Dr Leith Dunn, (Jamaica), Mr Ceasar Handa (Kenya), Mr Samuel Tembenu (Malawi), Mr Mokshanand Dowarkasing (Mauritius), Mrs Simea Avei Meafou (Samoa), Dr Christiana Thorpe (Sierra Leone), Mr J.C. Weliamuna (Sri Lanka), Ms Adelle Roopchand (Trinidad and Tobago) and Ms Kaye Oliver (United Kingdom).

The group’s report will be submitted to the Commonwealth secretary-general, who will, in turn, forward it to the Rwandan government, country’s electoral body and political parties, and eventually to all Commonwealth member countries.