[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306086__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"306086","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/306086","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306086__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"0ae5601d8790ff50fca3cf23b9ac9170285f2f75823ebdc8d9cc054bc03a679b"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306086__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__306086__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed\u0022 data-type=\u0022image\u0022\u003E\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-center embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--center\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/32556\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_blogredcardclean.jpg?itok=pgjPnyK8 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_blogredcardclean.jpg?itok=sUXep8jc 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2017\/201707africa_kenya_blogredcardclean.jpg?itok=sUXep8jc\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u0022532\u0022 alt=\u0022A red card raised at a soccer match, symbolizing Red Card Kenya, an organization comprised of four Kenyan civil society groups, which named 20 candidates unfit to run for elections in a recent report\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 typeof=\u0022foaf:Image\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2010 Reuters\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ECan Kenya codify \u201cintegrity\u201d? That question is at the heart of a vigorous debate in Kenya, one sparked by suggestions that at least 20 people running for election in the August polls may be in violation of constitutional requirements of \u201cintegrity.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.redcardke.co.ke\/category\/redcard20\/\u0022\u003ERed Card Kenya\u003C\/a\u003E, comprised of four Kenyan civil society groups, started the debate with \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.redcardke.co.ke\/category\/redcard20\/\u0022\u003Ea report naming 20 candidates\u003C\/a\u003E who they allege may not be fit for office by virtue of violating \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.klrc.go.ke\/index.php\/constitution-of-kenya\/119-chapter-six-leadership-and-integrity\/240-73-responsibilities-of-leadership\u0022\u003EChapter 6 of the Constitution\u003C\/a\u003E on Leadership and Integrity.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EChapter 6 \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.klrc.go.ke\/index.php\/constitution-of-kenya\/119-chapter-six-leadership-and-integrity\/240-73-responsibilities-of-leadership\u0022\u003Evaguely stipulates what \u201ca leader with integrity\u201d\u003C\/a\u003E is, and outlines standards, including conduct, financial probity and other responsibilities. While many support these provisions in general, a heated debate has broken out over the question of whether \u201cintegrity\u201d is an appropriate bar for candidates, if so, how precisely it should be legally defined and practically applied.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EThe conduct flagged by Red Card Kenya is very serious, ranging from criminal charges of robbery and rape, to mismanagement and embezzlement of funds, to incitement to violence through hate speech.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EAs a basic human right, in principle, every interested and eligible adult citizen should be able to stand for election. Any exclusion of any individual from an election must be set out clearly in law, based on objective criteria and used only in the most serious of cases. Anyone banned should have a right to appeal decisions, otherwise the power to ban a candidate could become arbitrary or politically-motivated.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EArticle 19(1) of Kenya\u2019s Constitution states that the purpose of recognising and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is to preserve the dignity of the individual and communities and to promote social justice and the realization of the potential of all human beings. Chapter 6 was therefore supposed to signal a shift in Kenyan politics towards greater respect for the dignity for citizens. Protecting and preserving the human rights and dignity of the citizens should begin with the leaders who have been entrusted to hold public office on their behalf.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003ETo date Kenya\u2019 Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) \u2013 which oversees elections \u2013 has been silent on Red Card\u2019s criticisms. As the final arbiter of electoral eligibility and one of the core constitutional institutions established to protect the constitution, the IEBC should explain how it is applying the constitutional requirement of \u201cintegrity\u201d as it determines eligibility.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the same time, accountability is not only a matter for the ballot box. Accountability for the alleged crimes and abuses Red Card raises should be matters for the courts to efficiently handle, both before and after election day.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null}]