The US will
will not support any particular political party next year but will help
oversee a free, fair and credible poll, Ambassador Robert Godec has said.
Godec said on Tuesday that his country
was determined to see Kenya hold a peaceful election and will give Sh2.5 billion for the exercise.
The US will also help strengthen the IEBC's institutional capacity,
champion voter registration and
advocate for peace before, during and after elections, he said.
Godec underlined that the aim was not to
influence the outcome of the election.
"We will not support any political party as this is a role only entitled to Kenyans. They will decide who they want to be their leaders," he said.
"The United States will support Kenya to oversee a brighter future after the elections, following our good ties."
He spoke in Nairobi
during the launch of the Chagua Dada campaign which
seeks to have more women bid for electoral seats.
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Godec further said that the United States will push for gender equality in leadership as stipulated in Kenya's laws.
"The US and its partners will champion for support in women leadership," he said.
The ambassador
pointed out that the country has not embraced women leadership as very few won elective posts in the 2013 general election.
"Only 80 women were elected, with only 16 legislators in the National Assembly. This is a small number compared to the law's stipulations," he said.
He asked Kenyans to unite and engage in meaningful dialogue ahead of the election.
The sentiments come in the wake of President Uhuru Kenyatta's warning against interference by foreign nations in the poll set for August 8.