CORD Leader Raila Odinga has arrived in the southern African country of Mozambique to head over 50 electoral observer teams under the aegis of Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa – EISA Electoral Observer Mission.
According to a source close to the CORD leader, the Observer Mission will make its  make its Preliminary Statement on the 15 October elections on the morning of 17 October.
Mr. Odinga is a revered figure in Mozambique  having been involved in the country nascent democracy soon after independence.
On arrival in Maputo, the former Kenyan premier was received by the head of Mozambique Electoral Commision  Sheikh Abdul Karim who briefed him on the level of preparedness by the electoral body.
Back home, the CORD leader is spearheading further reforms in Kenya’s independent electoral and boundaries commission to make the body capable of delivering free, fair and transparent elections.
On the suggested electoral reforms, CORD suggests to change the constitution to, among other things, allow political parties nominate commissioners and senior staff of the IEBC as happens in more advanced democracies.
While in Mozambique, Odinga paid a special tribute to scholar Ali Mazrui who has passed on:
I join the people of Africa and the international community in mourning Prof Ali Mazrui.
We have lost an intellectual giant and an important player in the pre and post independence history of Africa who gave credence to the existence of African history pre dating colonialism..
We thank God for a life dedicated to humanity and Africa.
Mazrui’s death is particularly a blow to us in Kenya.
Mazrui pushed vigorously and courageously for our country to discard bad ways and self inflicted pains in favour of a gloriuos future which he believed was possible.
He celebrated our nation’s successes and mourned its failures all the time hoping for the best for our nation. In the process, he put our country indelibly on the map of scholarly achievement.
We take solace in the knowledge that in passing on, Mazrui leaves behind a body of significant works that will forever stand to his credit and assure him of a lasting place of honour among the worlds greatest scholars particularly of African history and politics.
As a country and as a continent we have an enduring gratitude for Mazrui’s contributions over many years to the development of education and educational institutions.
I assure Prof Mazrui’s family, relatives, friends and colleagues of full solidarity and sympathy as they mourn this very eminent scholar.