Observers endorse Kenyan elections

An observer group drawn from Kenya's main Western aid donors gave a qualified endorsement on Friday to the East African country's multi- party elections, saying they reflected the will of the people, despite flaws.

The Donors' Democratic Development Group, which includes European Union missions and the United States, commended the discipline and determination of Kenyan voters.

In a two-page statement the observers highlighted a series of problems with the election before their conclusion.

"As to an overall assessment of the election, we note the conclusion of the domestic observers that the results on the whole reflect the wishes of the Kenyan people. Based on our own election observation exercise, this conclusion seems justified and reasonable." the statement said.

The Western observers said political reforms passed late last year came too late to be properly implemented and access for opposition parties to state media was too limited. The observers deplored bribery, intimidation and some instances of violence on polling day and cited a shortage of ballots as the main problem.

- Reuters, Nairobi