At the invitation of Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC), the East African Community (EAC) is pleased to announce the arrival of the EAC Referendum Election Observer mission on whether or not Southern Sudan should remain as part of Sudan Scheduled for 9th to 15th, January 2011.
The Mission is led by Hon. Abdul Karim Harelimana from the Republic of Rwanda, a Member of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), and made up of 15 delegates. These comprise of:
• Hon. Leonce Ndarubagiye, Hon. Manasse Nzobonimpa and Hon. Frederic Ngenzebuhoro (from the Republic of Burundi);
• Hon. Jacqueline Muhongayire and Hon. Pierre Damien Habumuremyi (from the Republic of Rwanda);
• Hon. Otieno Clarkson Karan, Hon. Augustine Lotodo and Hon. Christopher Nakuleu (from the Republic of Kenya);
• Hon. Kate Kamba, Hon. Dr. F. Lwanyantika Masha and Hon. Dr. Aman Walid Kabourou (from the United Republic of Tanzania); and
• Hon. Mike Sebalu, Hon. Dora Kanabahita Byamukama (from the Republic of Uganda); and
• Mr. Charles Ngeleja Kadonya – Senior Research Officer and Clerk to the Mission (from the East African Community Headquarters – Arusha, Tanzania).
The main objectives of the mission are:
• to appraise itself of the state of preparedness of the people of Southern Sudan and the arrangements in place for the referendum; and
• To the observe the implementation of the Machakos Protocol signed on 20th July 2002, which provided that the people of Sudan will vote in a referendum at the end of the Interim Period ( 9th July 2005 – 8th July 2011) of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, choosing between unity of the Sudan or secession.
Specific objectives for this Mission are:
• To assess whether conditions exist for the conduct of referendum that allow the people of Southern Sudan to freely express their will;
• To assess and determine whether referendum is conducted in accordance with Southern Sudan Referendum Act 2009;
• To determine whether the final results of the referendum process as a whole reflect the wishes of the people of Southern Sudan; and
• To assess whether the referendum meets the benchmarks set out in the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, the UN Declaration on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Deployment and Activities:
Members arrived on 7th January 2011 and will remain in the country until 17th January 2011, and will:
• Attend meetings with as many relevant stakeholders as possible.
• Cover as many States as possible.
• Visit as many polling stations as possible,
• Interact with SSRC officials, Polling agents, Civil Society Organizations, Political Parties, other Referendum Observers, voters and other relevant stakeholders on matters of the referendum process.
At the end of polling, the EAC will issue a preliminary report which will be followed by a final and conclusive report at a later stage.
The EAC Observer Mission highly commends the Government and the people of Southern Sudan for the just concluded peaceful referendum campaigns and wishes that the entire referendum process is conducted as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement provisions.
EAC Referendum Observer Mission
Southern Sudan Referendum 2011
South Sudan Hotel - 1,
Juba, Southern Sudan
8th January, 2011
