US envoy lauds President Banda’s Carter Centre Role

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US envoy lauds President Banda’s Carter Centre Role

Nairobi, March 3rd , 2013, ZANIS — United States ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec has praised Excellency Rupiah Banda, the Fourth President of the Republic of Zambia, for his role in the Carter Centre election observer mission.

 Meanwhile, the former Zambian head of State two met two of the eight Kenyan presidential candidates,  Raila Odinga and Peter Kenneth, stressing on the need for peace and respect for the country’s electoral process and the east African state holds its general elections tomorrow.

 Speaking when President Banda and the Carter Centre delegation paid a courtesy on him at the US embassy earlier today, Ambassador Godec said he was happy that the Zambian leader had agreed to be part of the Kenyan election observer mission.

 “I was very pleased when you agreed to be part of the Carter Centre observer mission to Kenya. Because of your background and the things you have done, you have brought value to the Carter centre,” said Ambassador Godec.

This is contained in a statement to ZANIS and signed by the former President’s Deputy Administrative Assistant, Kennedy Limwana.

 He also told President Banda’s delegation that massive effort had been made to ensure successful elections although he regretted that the international media appeared to purvey negative reports on the Kenyan situation.

And Carter Centre vice-president for peace programmes Dr John Stremlau said his team was happy to have President Banda as its leader, a pointer to how African problems were capable of being solved by Africans.

 In response, President Banda paid tribute to the US government for its efforts in helping achieve free and fair elections.

 The Carter Centre delegation later held a meeting with presidential candidate Peter Kenneth of the Kenya National Congress at the Crowne Plaza and Raila Odinga, the candidate for the Coalition for the Restoration of Democracy (CORD) at Serena Hotel

 All the election observer missions here have since issued a joint statement calling for peaceful conduct of elections. The observer missions are the Commonwealth, European Union, African Union, the East African Community, the Great Lakes region, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development.

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