UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon  on Wednesday voiced the hope that all Kenyans will work together to ensure that next week’s elections will be peaceful and credible, as he discussed the upcoming polls with the country’s President, Mwai Kibaki.

In a telephone call with the President, Mr. Ban also expressed appreciation for efforts made to strengthen Kenya’s democracy and its electoral system since the last general elections, according to information provided by the Secretary-General’s spokesperson.

He trusts that efforts made at many levels to prevent a repeat of past violence will be redoubled during the remainder of the campaign, the spokesperson added.

Ban Ki-moon

“Let me take this opportunity to appeal to all Kenyans to exercise their democratic right and participate actively – but peacefully – in the elections,” he said. “Let me also underscore the responsibility shared by leaders at all levels to abide by legal mechanisms and to send a clear message to supporters that violence of any kind would be unacceptable.”

The 4 March poll will be the first presidential election since the December 2007 vote, which was followed by post-election violence in which more than 1,100 people were killed, 3,500 injured and up to 600,000 forcibly displaced.

By UP