The training workshop for NIEC national and regional staffs entered its fourth day. The training is aimed at building the capacity of the staffs so they can discharge their roles efficiently.
Today’s training focused on electoral legal framework, electoral dispute resolution and political parties.
At the start of the training, the participants were shown a video clip of the former South African electoral body’s chair Mr. Johan Kriegler, who oversaw South africa’s 1994 complex elections, sharing his experiences of how they managed the elections at a time when the country was conducting its first democratic elections after the end of apartheid.
Mr. Kriegler also shared his experiences of the many country’s election bodies he has served in as an advisor.
After watching the video, the participants drew lessons from Mr. Kriegler’s experience. They acknowledged that managing elections calls for sacrifice for everyone involved and that building trust with the citizenry is key.
Mr. Kriegler underscored the need for openness, that the public and the politicians are briefed of the commission’s work and not feel they’ve been left in the dark.
The participants were taken through presentations on electoral dispute resolution and mechanism facilitated by Mr. Mustafa Maalim.
Office of the political parties registration presented topic on political parties and the laws in place to register political parties. This was facilitated by the director, office of political parties registration Mr.Mohamed Mohamud Hassan.