Mr. Mogae who was tasked with leading the 20-member group last month, stepped down citing“unforeseen circumstances”.
He has since been replaced by former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances, former President of Botswana, H.E. Festus Mogae, has had to withdraw and has been replaced by The Honourable former Prime Minister of Jamaica Bruce Golding,” the team said in a statement on Wednesday.
The observer group was unveiled last month by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
The group will be in the country to monitor the General Election after the invitation of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
While addressing the press in Nairobi a day after their arrival the new chair Mr. Golding called on all the election stakeholders to follow the example of the contenders and commit to a peaceful process.
“Just as politicians have made a commitment to a peaceful election, we urge stakeholders, including the electorate, to commit to doing the same, consistent with the Commonwealth’s values and principles,” said Holding.
“We know how important elections are in a democracy; they empower the people to choose representatives who will, in turn, make decisions on their behalf.
He added: “We, therefore, hope our presence in Kenya serves as a reminder that the people of the Commonwealth stand together with Kenyans as they exercise their democratic rights, recognising how important these elections are to the people of Kenya, East Africa, Africa, and the whole of the Commonwealth at large.”
The group has since been dispatched to various parts of the country with it expected to release an assessment report on August 11th.
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