Nairobi — A 25-strong group of donor states yesterday sounded an alarm over possible rigging in the forthcoming general elections.

The Democratic Development Group said that it was concerned that "election rigging, including the buying of voters' cards, appears to be taking place" in the country in the run-up to the polls, on December 27.

British High Commissioner Sir Edward Clay said he had evidence in his possession of the vice and had several voters' cards, said to have been bought. However, he did not mention the area in question or the party involved.

The DDG also expressed concern over the rising acts of violence and "misbehaviour" in several parts of the country and urged the Attorney General, Amos Wako and Police Commissioner, Philemon Abong'o to redouble efforts to identify, arrest and bring to trial perpetrators of all forms of political violence".

The group said yesterday during an international news conference at the Holiday Inn Hotel that political party leaders should prepare their candidates and supporters to respect the verdict of the electorate or peacefully direct any electoral complaint to the competent authorities.

United States of America (USA) Ambassador, Johnnie Carson described as "disturbing and worrying" rising levels of "what amounts to physical violent activities in a number of cases".

"We do not want an escalation of these activities...in some parts of Western Kenya candidates have been manhandled...there have been cases of violence and intimidation" said he.

Carson however, said that the ongoing campaigns were "much better" than those that preceded the 1992 and 1997 polls and expressed hope that politicians would exhort their supporters to desist from either incitement or intimidation or even actual violence.

Clay said that they were impressed by efforts by most of the media houses in the country to give fair and unbiased coverage of political activities in the run-up to the polls as recommended by the Inter-Party Parliamentary Group (IPPG) a few years ago.

Carson said that politicians had demonstrated a good sense of maturity and urged them to continue the same way to the Polls Day.

The group chided the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) saying its continued bias in editorial practise "is an obstacle to the right of Kenyans to hear from all those seeking their vote".

Clay said that KBC was giving Kanu four times as much coverage as the other parties, whose coverage was, to make matters' worse, unfavourable. Kanu got favourable coverage, he observed.

Clay said that the country's media needed to be diversified, especially in the rural areas.

Answering questions from journalists, who sought an assurance the new head of state would not be sworn in before all poll results were received as in 1997, the US ambassador said that it did not expect that anyone would be sworn in as president before the final results were in.

The DDG urged political leaders to ensure that party members and supporters abide by the Electoral Code of Conduct , including refraining from any acts of bribery, intimidation and violence.