Kenya in the News

Kenya takes the world stage due to the national elections. There were fierce election campaigns that became evident as soon as President Kibaki called the election. A concern, from both an international as well as local perspective, raised was the potential level of violence. There are four main parties (PNU, ODM, ODM-K, and KPP) and their respective leaders signed the following a Peace Charter: Political parties and leaders together advocate peace and non-violence. We, the Presidential candidates and leaders of all major parties in Kenya (Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odina, Bishop Pius Muiru and Kalonzo Musyoka), have read and signed a Peace Charter on behalf of our membership and the citizens of this country. As leaders of this great nation, we encourage you to promote peace during the election and to uphold the following minimum values before, during and after the elections: · To uphold the values of truth, integrity, tolerance, transparency and accountability in carrying out our campaign and related activities. · To promote peaceful, secure and fair elections in our constituency and/or ward and in the country as a whole, not to engage in incitement and violence as a means of political mobilization. Not to support or associate with activities of any militia and where the existence of such militia is known, to immediately notify the police. · To uphold the principle of non-discrimination on a basis of gender, race, tribe and religion and not to engage in inflammatory or hate speech along gender, race, religious, ethnic, political party zoning and/or other lines during campaigns or in any public or private function. We choose to promote peace. Join us. This year vote for peace. Chagua AMANI (Select PEACE) Kenya has a slightly different election process than Canada. Each constituency or ward has a candidate, representing a party, which is elected to parliament. However, there is a separate vote for President, therefore there is a possibility that the President oversees the government that his particular party lost the general election. Over 14 million voters across the nation and over 27,000 polling stations are established for the general election. Running for office are the following: 9 presidental candidates, 157 registered parties and 2,550 candidates seeking 210 vacant parliamentary seats. The highest turn-out was in 1992 with 57%.

The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) chairman, Samual Kivuitu commented five things to the voter: a) ensure you have cast your ballot at the correct polling station; b) keep the peace; c) act within the law; d) be fair, honest and resposible; e) candidates and citizens must be prepared to accept the results of the election. Over 65,000 security officiers have been deployed with over 30,000 local and international observers. A polic helicopter was also hired by ECK to transport election materials and deploy security forces inaccessible areas. According to ECK, never in Kenya's history have there been such vibrant political advertisements, particularlly hugh billboards.

The election was held on December 27, 2007 and there was increased tension over the next few days as it looked like a ODM - Raila Odina victory, however it was announced that President Mwai Kibaki won for a second term. Complete chaos and violence occured across the country. Over the next week there was many confrontations between the goverment and opposition, which the death toll continued to mount as well as the number of displaced citizens. It became apparent a division of the tribes (Kibaki - Kikuyu and Odina -Luo) has been festering this wave of violence. In the early past January, 2008, There were mediations set-up with international support (Bishop Desmond Tutu; Assistant Secetary of State US - Jendayi Fraser; Ghanian President/Head of African Union - John Kufuor) has not lead to a satisfactory conclusion. In fact, the sides seem to be more in conflict.

January 10, 2008 - The European Union has stated, "All political parties in Kenya should recognize that it cannot be business as usual in Kenya until there is political compromise which leads to a lasting solution that reflects the will of the Kenyan people. Even international reporters have pleaded for political stability and mediation towards peace. Fears have grown of further violence after Odinga's opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) vowed to hold three days of protests beginning with a mass demonstration in Nairobi on Wednesday. Police have banned all political rallies."The potential for further bloodshed remains high unless the political crisis is quickly resolved," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement issued in Nairobi. Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is due to lead a new push for peace in Kenya this week.

January 15, 2008 - Round two of the contentious battle for political control in Kenya began Tuesday as the country's parliament met to select a house speaker. Both Odinga and Kibaki have indicated that they will support different candidates for the post, making it likely that the session -- when it gets around to choosing a speaker it may be a very heated one. The government tightened security around the parliament building and began shuttled in truckloads of riot police. Opposition party candidate Kenneth Marende was elected speaker in the third round of voting, winning 105-101 over the government's candidate, Francis Ole Kaparo, who had been speaker since 1993. A day later, another tense day followed the election Tuesday of an opposition candidate as house speaker in a contentious session of parliament full of angry accusations and heckling. A CNN reporter was shot in the back with a tear gas cannister.

January 24, 2008 - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga met for the first time since last month's bitterly disputed election, under the mediation of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Although Mr Kibaki and Mr Odinga shook hands, the opposition were angered by the president's statement that he had had been "duly elected", saying he was not committed to meaningful talks. This sparked further violence as the latest clashes were in the Rift Valley capital, Nakuru, where eight people have reportedly been killed. The violence comes despite hopes of progress after President Mwai Kibaki met opposition leader Raila Odinga for the first time since disputed polls.

February 1, 2008 – The political crisis continued with further violece and death. A second ODM – MP was killed along with a police constable. The Kenyan government and opposition parties have reached a four-point plan to end weeks of bloodshed, with the current (Ban Ki-Moon) and former (Kofi Annan) U.N. Secretary-General as mediators. A six-man team, called the Kenya National Dailogue Team, was established to put forth a plan of ‘action for stooping the violence.’ The first three items, to be completed within a 15-day period, are: stopping the violence and restoring fundamental rights; taking measures to address the humanitarian crisis; and promoting "reconciliation, healing and restoration." The fourth item, which could take up to a year, aims for a resolution to the political crisis. Unfortunately, shortly after the announment of the peace plan, more than 20 people have died in fresh violence in western Kenya -some were killed by police, others were hacked to death by gangs or shot with poisoned arrows.

February 28, 2008 - Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and Kofi Annan held a two day intense negotiation between President Kibaki and ODM Leader Odinga. Ralia Odinga becomes Prime Minister with specific governmental authority. There will be a sharing of power between leaders and parties (coalition government). Annan calls the move ‘vital for survival.’