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NAVIGATION
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PART 8 - 22th Feb. 2008 until
25. Feb. 2008
FACTS OF THE POST-ELECTION
VIOLENCE
KENYA OVERVIEW: TROUBLED NATION IN A TROUBLED
REGION (slow loading!)
SHORT CHRONOLOGY OF THE
CRISIS
THE NATIONAL DISASTER IN
SAD PICTURES
THE WHISTLEBLOWER FILES ON KENYA
TEXT OF KENYA
POWER-SHARING DEAL
EXCLUSIVE:
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS IN KENYA
US AND THEM - THE
ENDURING POWER OF ETHNIC NATIONALISM
DAY 59
Annan meets Raila
and Kibaki over deadlock
(25.02.2008) Talks seeking to end Kenya’s post-election crisis
ended in a stalemate on Monday after Government and ODM
negotiators failed to agree on the role and powers of the proposed
prime minister.
Talks must not go
a day longer than necessary
(25.02.2008) By the end of this week, the mediation talks to
return Kenya to peace and back on track to democracy - following
unprecedented bloodshed and chaos over discredited presidential
elections described as deeply flawed - will be a month old.
US Military Plan
for Africa Panned
(25.02.2008) NEW YORK - While in Africa this week, George W. Bush
drew fire for his plans to expand the United States' military
presence on the resource-rich but economically strapped continent.
Guns recovered
from park encroachers
(25.02.2008) UGANDA Wildlife Authority (UWA) officials, the Police
and the army have recovered four guns from encroachers on Mt.
Elgon National Park, reports Gerald Tenywa.
Ethnic tensions
split Kenya, pose risk-UN
(25.02.2008) UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Two months of violence in
Kenya have split the country along ethnic lines and there is a
risk of further clashes if the political crisis is not resolved
quickly, a top U.N. official said on Monday.
Kenyan VP in
Kampala On Talks Progress
(25.02.2008) PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni yesterday held a meeting
with Kenyan vice-president Kalonzo Musyoka at State House Entebbe,
during which they discussed the progress of the talks between
Kenya's government and the opposition.
The return of
ethnic nationalism
(25.02.2008) In Africa last week, President Bush deplored the
genocide in Rwanda in the 1990s, defended his refusal to send U.S.
troops to Darfur and decried the ethnic slaughter in Kenya.
Over 1,500 People
Have Died In Kenya Unrest
(25.02.2008) Nairobi, Kenya (AHN) - More than 1,500 have died in
tribal fights and riots in Kenya since December's disputed
re-election of President Mwai Kibaki, police reported on Monday.
Crisis Demands Both
Immediate And Long-Term Solutions - UN Envoy
(25.02.2008) International efforts to help Kenya recover from the
unrest that started after election results were challenged in
December should thoroughly address the root causes of the violence,
but must first help resolve the political crisis as a matter of
urgency, the United Nations' top humanitarian official said today.
State Should
Ensure Safety for All
(25.02.2008) More needs to be done. The mediation is at a critical
stage. All those involved need to realise - or be forced to
realise - just how much hinges on their efforts.
As Kenya talks
stall, Annan threatens to pull out, source says
(25.02.2008) Nairobi - Former United Nations secretary general
Kofi Annan seemed to become exasperated with the mediation talks
he is leading to end the crisis in Kenya, threatening Monday to
leave if stalling continues, a source said.
Laws Can't
Guarantee Property Rights
(25.02.2008) The recent post-election violence was aimed as much
at individuals as at their properties. From farmhouse torchings,
to the looting of shops and the illegal occupation of houses in
Nairobi, private property as a fundamental right is under assault.
The destruction has been as much about economic resentment as it
has been about disputed election results.
Change Ethnicity
to What You Fancy - Be a Muganda, Then Luo
(25.02.2008) In most African cultures, there is a saying to the
effect that when you live long you get to see many things that
were unimaginable during your earlier years. Those of us living in
Uganda today are that lucky, for we are seeing a major societal
transformation that could not be imagined a few decades ago.
Kenya opposition
announces nationwide, peaceful rallies
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's opposition is calling
for nationwide rallies later this week after accusing the
government of backing away from plans to share power.
Kenya Opposition
Announces Rallies
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's opposition accused the
government of backing away from plans to share power after a
deeply flawed presidential election and called for nationwide
protests, raising fears of new violence.
Kenya opposition
calls for mass protest
(25.02.2008) Kenya's opposition today called for mass rallies
after negotiators admitted failing to resolve outstanding issues
on power sharing.
UNHCR flies in
more humanitarian supplies to Kenya
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (UNHCR) - The UN refugee agency has
flown 2,345 lightweight family tents to Kenya for use by tens of
thousands of people displaced in different parts of the country
during post-election violence this year.
PNU denies
reaching deal with ODM
(25.02.2008) The ruling party for National Unity (PNU has denied
the previously announced conclusion of a power-sharing deal with
the opposition Orange democratic Party (ODM).
Kenya peace talks
reach impasse
(25.02.2008) Talks aimed at ending the political crisis in Kenya
have stalled, forcing mediator Kofi Annan to intervene. He is to
seek the input of President Mwai Kibaki and rival Raila Odinga in
an attempt to salvage the process.
Fresh political crisis
looms in Kenya
(25.02.2008) Nairobi, Kenya - Kenyans are bracing up for another
round of mass protest s and what the opposition calls "civil
disobedience" if talks to end the post-el e ction crisis does not
provide a breakthrough this week.
ICG Recommends Key
Complementary Issues For Kenya Crisis Talks
(25.02.2008) For the last four weeks a team led by former UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been trying to broker a deal
between the Kenyan government of President Mwai Kibaki and the
opposition led by Raila Odinga.
Musyoka calls for
review committee
(25.02.2008) Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka says an independent
review committee should be established to inquire into all aspects
of the 2007 presidential elections.
Our lives are in
danger, councilors claim
(25.02.2008) Several Nairobi councilors allied to PNU claim that
they have received death threats from unknown people following the
outcome of Monday's mayoral elections.
Talks hit a snag
(25.02.2008) Talks to resolve the political stalemate in the
country Monday hit a snag Monday after the government side and ODM
failed to agree.
Kenyan talks at
standstill, Annan to meet rivals
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Talks to end Kenya's political
crisis reached a standstill on Monday and negotiators from both
sides said President Mwai Kibaki and rival Raila Odinga must now
make the hard decisions on sharing power themselves.
Analysts warn of
looming famine
(25.02.2008) Kenya may be forced to fight a looming famine, if the
post election crisis persists, a key business body in the country
has warned.
Kenya's rival groups
gird for fresh violence
(25.02.2008) As residents pin their hopes on talks to resolve the
post-election crisis, eyewitnesses in Kenyan say that militias are
re-arming themselves for fresh attacks.
Victims seek to stop
the Annan talks, while - Man wants to share power with Raila
(25.02.2008) The State Monday questioned a case by 44 victims of
the Eldoret church inferno seeking to stop the ongoing mediation
talks.
Annan to meet rivals
as Kenyan talks at standstill
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Talks to end Kenya's political
crisis reached a standstill on Monday and negotiators from both
sides said President Mwai Kibaki and rival Raila Odinga must now
make the hard decisions on sharing power themselves.
Kenya talks reach
standstill
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Negotiating teams for Kenya's
government and opposition left their talks after only half a day
Monday amid clear sticking points, sources close to the
negotiations said.
Kenya unrest toll
above 1,500: police
(25.02.2008) More than 1,500 people have died in Kenyan unrest
since the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki in
December, police said Monday, a sharp rise on the previous toll of
at least 1,000.
Kenya: Nobel Peace
Prize winner receives death threats
(25.02.2008) On Wednesday 27 February, hundreds of Amnesty
International supporters across the globe - including the UK -
will join in solidarity with the people in Kenya in an
international Day of Action.
Kenyan Churches call
for fresh elections
(25.02.2008) RELIGIOUS leaders in Kenya have called for a fresh
general election as the only way out of the current political
impasse in Kenya. Talks aimed at ending the stalemate being
chaired by Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General is dragging on
in Nairobi with the opposition, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)
this week threatening to call for mass action if the mediation
talks do not bear any tangible result.
Nairobi Mayoral Poll
Runs Into Stalemate
(25.02.2008) Today's Nairobi mayoral elections have ended in a
stalemate after two candidates received the same number of votes.
Kenya parties still
seek peace deal
(25.02.2008) Kenya seemed no nearer to a settlement of its violent
political divide despite optimism at the weekend that a deal was
close. More than 1,000 people have been killed in riots and ethnic
attacks since trouble erupted over December's disputed
presidential election.
Rights lobby accuses
police over killings
(25.02.2008) A human rights organization, mandated to carry out
investigations into the post-election deaths in Kenya has accused
the police of arbitrarily executing unarmed protesters and
subjecting others to torture and degrading treatment.
Kenyan wildlife
reserves hit by bush fires
(25.02.2008) As much as a third of one of Kenya's best known
national parks, Lake Nakuru, has been destroyed by a series of
wild fires, with fears that the now dormant blazes could re-ignite
at any time.
Film announcement
(25.02.2008) Cutting Edge: Living With Corruption - How corruption
affects every waking moment for Africa's poor. - For one week,
journalist Sorious Samura embeds himself in the smelliest slums of
Kenya to show how endemic corruption affects every waking moment
for Africa's poor.
Police Step in to
Quell Rent Row
(25.02.2008) Illegal occupation of houses in some Nairobi
residents took a dramatic twist last week when the police entered
the fray. When Kasarani OCPD, Mr Jasper Ombati, commanded his
troops into troubled Ngomongo, Korogocho and Mathare, the areas
resembled a battlefield.
29 Disabled Killed in
Poll Violence
(25.02.2008) Twenty nine mentally sick people have been killed in
post-election violence, according to the Kenya Society for the
Mentally Handicapped (KSMH).
No breakthrough in
Kenya's latest round of talks
(25.02.2008) During the latest round of talks to resolve the
impasse following December's disputed elections, the Chief
Negotiator of Kenya's opposition ODM, William Ruto, says they have
failed to agree with the government on a number of issues.
Nowhere to Go
(25.02.2008) More than 10,000 displaced people, who have moved to
their "ancestral lands" in western Kenya to escape ethnic violence,
face an uncertain future in what is, for many, a foreign country.
Report Identifies
Causes of Deaths During Kenya's Post-Election Violence
(25.02.2008) In Kenya, talks to settle the post-election political
crisis resume Monday with some immediacy to find a political
settlement. President Mwai Kibaki’s Party of National Unity and
opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Orange Democratic Movement have
reportedly agreed in principle on the creation of the posts of
prime minister and two deputies. There has been no agreement on
both sides having equal number of cabinet positions in the
proposed grand coalition government.
Kenyan foes to resume
crisis talks
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenyan leaders were due Monday to
resume power-sharing talks to end the political crisis in the east
African state that has sparked violence which has claimed over one
thousand lives.
Kenya refugees request
for permanent settlement in Uganda, while more arrive at Mulanda
(25.02.2008) The United Nations High Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR) with support from Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has so
far re-located 1, 870 Kenyan refugees to Mulanda, a former
technical institute in Tororo. More refugees keep on flowing to
Mulanda from nearby communities they had opted to stay in during
the re-location exercise while others come from camps in Kenya
where facilities are limited.
Kenya rivals resume
crisis talks
(25.02.2008) Nairobi - Kenya's warring political parties have
resumed their lengthy and often bitter negotiations to try to end
a political crisis. Nearly two months after a flawed presidential
vote that sparked widespread violence in the east African country,
Kenya is still waiting for its government and an opposition that
says the election was stolen to find a way to share power.
For Kenya's Human
Rights Chairman, an Environment of Fear
(25.02.2008) Threats Shadow Critic of Election And Its Aftermath -
It was a telephone call that drove home Maina Kiai's worst
nightmare. Kiai, the head of Kenya's National Commission on Human
Rights, had appeared on television during a dinner party in
January in one of Nairobi's wealthy neighborhoods.
Fear may change ethnic
map of Kenya
(25.02.2008) Tens of thousands of people are resettling in their
ancestral homelands to escape tribal violence. LIMURU, KENYA - A
month after mobs burned down his hardware store and chased his
family into a squalid displacement camp, Joseph Kamau, 35, decided
it was time to go home.
Kaparo hits at
executive presidency
(25.02.2008) Former National Assembly speaker Francis ole Kaparo
Sunday said a parliamentary system was the only way to end the
political turmoil in the country.
Party plotting to
paralyse Annan-led talks, 5 MPs claim
(25.02.2008) Five Members of Parliament from Central and Rift
Valley provinces Sunday accused ODM MPs of plotting to paralyse
the Kofi Annan-led talks through mass action.
Armed militia take
over houses
(25.02.2008) In Nairobi’s Mathare estates, a gang of 20 has
emerged from the post-election violence, and is now reaping from
other people’s sweat.
Here’s bitter truth
for the ODM and PNU Protagonists
(25.02.2008) For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole
world and forfeits his soul? Principal protagonists in the
political deadlock need to ponder over this biblical verse this
week, which is set to be either decisive or explosive.
Group faults probe
into deaths
(25.02.2008) Investigations into post-election violence deaths
should be conducted in line with internationally recognised
procedures, a human rights lobby said Sunday.
STATE OF THE NATION:
Kenyan crisis could take different path if fires spread to burn
its neighbours (25.02.2008) If you have a lot of stamina, you
are a fast driver, and set out before dawn from Kigali, you can
arrive in Nairobi in time for a late dinner the same day.
Fresh dispute over
prime minister deal
(25.02.2008) The Government and ODM Sunday differed over the
number of concessions made so far in the talks aimed at ending the
post-election political crisis.
Signs of agreement on
prime minister
(25.02.2008) A prime minister appointed by the president but
sharing powers with an executive president. This is the gist of
the broad agreement that had been hammered out by the Kofi
Annan-led negotiating team on Thursday last week.
Men abducted by
‘police officers’ feared executed
(25.02.2008) Four men arrested by people claiming to be police
last month are missing, raising fears they may have been executed.
I didn’t seek
Nigeria’s help: Raila
(25.02.2008) Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga
has denied seeking Nigeria’s help in resolving Kenya’s political
crisis.
Talks must not go a
day longer than necessary
(25.02.2008) By the end of this week, the mediation talks to
return Kenya to peace and back on track to democracy - following
unprecedented bloodshed and chaos over discredited presidential
elections described as deeply flawed - will be a month old.
Not yet time for grand
coalition
(25.02.2008) CONTRARY TO Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
suggestion to Kenyan MPs that the two sides join hands and form a
grand coalition to enact reforms, the country may not be ready for
such an arrangement.
Raila: Report was
malicious
(25.02.2008) ODM leader, Mr Raila Odinga, has taken exception to
reports alleging that he went to Nigeria to ask President Umaru
Yar’Adua to join the efforts to find a political settlement to the
crisis in Kenya.
Clip powers of
president, says Kaparo
(25.02.2008) Former National Assembly Speaker, Mr Francis ole
Kaparo, has blamed the presidency for post-election turmoil. To
guard against such anarchy, Kaparo called for constitutional
changes to introduce a parliamentary system of governance.
Fresh urgency as talks
resume
(25.02.2008) The talks must now assume a serious sense of urgency
and conclude a political settlement within this week, mediators
were told on a day Party of National Unity (PNU) threw another
tantrum over the ongoing mediation.
Rift Valley land
issues date back to the colonial period
(25.02.2008) As Kenya grapples with how to address the highly
complicated land question, the story of one of the country’s most
promising lawyers’ struggle to prove land ownership patterns in
parts of the Rift Valley province and elsewhere comes to mind.
Lawyers want talks
concluded
(25.02.2008) More than 600 lawyers want former UN
Secretary-General, Dr Kofi Annan, to wind up the mediation talks.
The West Kenya Law Society (WKLS) said the talks were taking too
long.
Secular meets gospel:
An unholy alliance?
(25.02.2008) JACK HAD A CONFUSING NIGHT out. He had been invited
for an overnight prayer meeting at a church in Nairobi. Adjacent
to the church was a busy nightclub.
All is not well at the
parks as tourists keep off
(25.02.2008) Last November, George Gaiti opened a souvenir shop,
Mega Gift Shop, at the far end of the Nairobi National Park
compound. It was also visible to the drivers on the busy Langata
Road.
We need to resolve
land issue sincerely
(25.02.2008) There are discordant if not too generalised voices on
the land issue. “Land is an issue in the post-poll violence”, some
have posited.
Another test as
mayoral polls get under way
(25.02.2008) After four weeks of intrigue and playing hide and
seek games - some in luxurious resorts - councillors go to the
polls today to elect new mayors and chairmen of civic authorities
countrywide.
Slums the new battle
front as gangs evict landlords
(25.02.2008) A pink doll, with the left leg missing and a
leather-bound black Bible supporting several books sum up the
miserable collection of the occupant’s room.
Truckers, touts prey
on women at camp
(25.02.2008) Truck drivers and matatu touts are allegedly eloping
with displaced women camping at Ugunja trading centre in Siaya
District.
Police training for
5,000 NYS recruits begins
(25.02.2008) Police training of the first group of National Youth
Service (NYS) recruits has begun. It started at the NYS Gilgil
College where 5,000 recruits will undergo a crash programme. They
will then be posted to the regular and Administration Police.
Kenya far from MDGs
(25.02.2008) Kenya is among the sub-Saharan countries that are not
likely to meet their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the
2015 deadline. Mid-way to the set deadline, many countries in
sub-Saharan Africa continue to register high child mortality rates.
What Kenya must do to
resolve political impasse
(25.02.2008) The first report on Kenya by the International Crisis
Group (ICG) says that despite the current mediation efforts,
serious obstacles remain. Armed groups are still mobilising on
both sides. ODM has put on hold its calls for mass action and is
using the talks to restore prestige it lost internationally due to
the violence.
It’s all out war,
Ngilu to Kalonzo
(25.02.2008) Kitui Central MP, Mrs Charity Ngilu, has revived her
turf war with Vice-President, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka. On Sunday, she
told the VP to brace himself for a bruising battle for political
supremacy in Ukambani.
Majimbo calls for
serious, practical thought to succeed
(25.02.2008) A LOT has been said about the benefits and otherwise
of a majimbo system in Kenya. It’s time we moved to thinking of
how to implement it as all indications are that the country is
ripe for majimbo.
Airport staff threaten
to go on strike
(25.02.2008) Kenya Aviation and Allied Workers Union has issued a
21-day strike notice over working conditions. The strike could
paralyse air traffic to east Africa’s largest economy, whose
critical tourism sector has been hit hard by post-election
violence.
Condi Encounters
Half-Naked Tribal Leaders in Africa
(25.02.2008) Each week, veteran
Condiwatcher Peter Huestis (also known as "Princess Sparkle Pony")
provides a summary of the searing wit and infinite wisdom of
America’s Favorite Princess Diplomat™! - Condi got to go back
to the rumored land of her ancestors. No, not Russia, Africa!
Kenyan foes resume
crisis talks
(25.02.2008) NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenyan leaders resumed power-sharing
talks on Monday in a bid to end the post-election political crisis
in the east African state which sparked communal violence and left
more than 1,500 people dead.
DAY 58
More Kenyan refugees
flee into Uganda
(24.02.2008) THE number of Kenyans seeking refuge at Mulanda
transit camp in Tororo district has increased, according to the UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Revealed: Secrets of
talks with Rice
(24.02.2008) The secret details of the high-level meetings US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held with President Kibaki and
ODM leader Raila Odinga in her few hours of diplomacy in Nairobi
can be revealed today.
Raila tries to involve
Nigeria in talks
(24.02.2008) Nigeria may have been urged to quietly join the
efforts to return peace to Kenya. In an unannounced visit, ODM
leader Raila Odinga held private talks with Nigeria’s immediate
past President, Olusegun Obasanjo, asking him to urge President
Umaru Yar’Adua to bring Nigeria’s might to bear on the disputants
in Kenya to embrace peace by reaching a quick accord.
Kalonzo meets Kagame
over crisis
(24.02.2008) Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka visited Rwanda on
Friday and met with President Paul Kagame in a visit described as
a “solution-finding visit”. This came just weeks after President
Kagame, during a routine presidential press conference, suggested
that a military intervention would end the post-election crisis in
Kenya.
Diplomacy Not
Convincing
(24.02.2008) The rejection of renowned conflicts mediator, Mr
Cyril Ramaphosa is so far, the biggest diplomatic let down in the
Kenyan crisis. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mr John Kuffuor, Ms endayi
Frazer, Mr Kenneth Kaunda, Mr Khetumile Masire, Mr Joaquim
Chissano, Ms Graca Marcel, Mr Benjamin Mkapa was not quite such a
long list of international intervention that Kenya could not
absorb into their strategic diplomacy.
Spread mediation
spirit beyond the Serena
(24.02.2008) Should mediation be a singular event or a philosophy
allowed to actively percolate into all layers of our nationhood?
This question is important because the status of the current
mediation as a singular event held behind closed doors in Nairobi,
and recently at a secluded lodge, has left every Kenyan craning
his or her neck for glimpse of the small but important team at the
Serena. This has relegated everyone else to a passive status.
Refugee in Business
(24.02.2008) The sound of Buffalo Soldier a song by Bob Marley
interrupts Mpimbaza Hashaka's (RDC of Tororo) address about the
situation in the Mulanda Community Polytechnic Instructors'
College, a Kenyan refugee site in Tororo.
To the Destitute, the
Right to Elect Leaders is Very Useless
(24.02.2008) 'Africa's New Governance Models' by J. Oloka Onyango
and Nansozi K. Muwanga debates the form and substance of promises
by the post Cold War "new breed of African leaders".
Government - No
Agreement On Contentious Issues
(24.02.2008) The Government side in the Annan-led mediated talks
has said no agreement has been reached on four contentious issues.
Kenya Vice President
Contemplates Criminalising Ethnicity
(24.02.2008) Kenya vice president Kalonzo Musyoka contemplated
criminalising ethnicity as a solution to the crisis in his country.
Battle Rocks on
Somalia-Kenya Border District
(25.02.2008) Over one hour lasted fighting between Dobley
district's police forces and tribal militias erupted in the
district situated between Kenya and Somalia, authorities said.
No agreement on
ministerial appointments, govt says
(24.02.2008) As Kenyans await the Kofi Annan led mediation talks
to resume Monday after a weekend break, the government negotiating
team has moved to clarify the status of the talks so far.
Taskforce on media is
illegal
(24.02.2008) The motive behind the proposed Government taskforce
to examine the media’s coverage of General Election remains
suspect.
Leaders blame officers
for Rift Valley violence
(24.02.2008) Politicians and religious leaders have accused police
of worsening the post-election violence by using excessive force.
Police, they said, shot innocent people while the inciters went
scot-free.
Forget about State
House, it’s our nationhood that is at stake
(24.02.2008) That we as a nation are at crossroads is an
understatement of disproportionately large dimensions. Crossroads
actually present no real trouble; isn’t it said that all roads,
after all, lead to Rome? At the crossroads, one can pick any of
the four possible routes and still get home.
Time Ripe to Amend
This Document
(24.02.2008) Why do I respect the Jesus of gospel? Because of his
practical wisdom. He serves the spirit of the law, not the letter
of it. Thus he often deliberately breaks the law so as to make its
spirit more manifest. He thus exposes the hypocrisy of the
Pharisees time and again.
The US in Kenya ...
duh!
(24.02.2008) By the time international diplomat and former United
Nations secretary-general Kofi Annan arrived in Kenya to attempt
mediation between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, the two warring
leaders had not even met each other and African Union chairman and
Ghanian President John Kufuor, after spending just two days in
Nairobi, had left with little success to report.
Country Edges Close to
Deal
(24.02.2008) A deal ending the impasse could be announced mid this
week, if the parties agree on the sole divisive issue remaining at
the talks chaired by former United Nations Secretary General Dr
Kofi Annan. If the two parties agree on Monday or on Tuesday, the
fate of the country will remain in the hands of President Mwai
Kibaki and ODM leader, Mr Raila Odinga.
Blame US for despotism
from Kenya to Pakistan
(24.02.2008) UNTIL he was circumcised with a machete in front of a
jeering mob and then dragged off to be beheaded, Robert Ochieng
had been a symbol of modern, post-tribal harmony in Kenya.
PNU’s hurdles
undermining search for settlement
(24.02.2008) President Kibaki and his PNU brigade seem to be
borrowing from Chinese war strategist, Sun Tzu, to navigate
through the current crisis.
Nakuru national park
fire spreads
(24.02.2008) A fire that broke out in the Lake Nakuru National
Park continued unabated for the second day on Saturday. The fire
spread to the eastern side as Kenya Wildlife Service warders and
Kenya Army soldiers battled to put it out yesterday.
Cattle rustlers using
mobile phones
(24.02.2008) Police in West Pokot say use of mobile phones by
cattle rustlers is making it hard to track them. The raiders use
the gadgets to monitor police movement. The practice has become
rampant along West Pokot-Trans Nzoia border.
Githongo: Corruption
to blame
(24.02.2008) Grand corruption could have played a key role in last
year’s discredited General Election, a former anti-corruption czar
has said.
North Rift group tells
ODM to call off demos
(24.02.2008) A group of civil societies in the North Rift has
urged ODM to call off the mass action slated for next week. They
urged the party to give the Kofi Annan-led talks a chance. ODM has
called for mass action on Friday if no deal is reached.
Boy, 10, among those
police killed in raid
(24.02.2008) A boy, 10, was among seven people shot dead by police
officers who were tracking down stolen cattle in Trans Mara
District. Dominic Kiprotich, a Standard Six pupil at Chebulu
Primary School, was gunned down while on his way to school on
Wednesday morning.
Localise the mediation
solutions
(24.02.2008) In the next few days the mediation talks may yield a
solution to our political stalemate. We all hope that unlike the
treaty of Versailles, the solution will be long lasting; both
parties will not go back to the trenches.
Chief Justice can help
restore confidence in the Judiciary
(24.02.2008) There is an eye-catching advertisement in the current
edition of the Economist. It is a notice of 21 vacancies of the
Queen’s Bench and Chancery Divisions of the High Court. It reads:
"How are High Court Judges appointed? It answers: "On merit." The
judicial appointments commission of the UK placed the
advertisement.
Minister should not
sabotage mayoral polls
(24.02.2008) On Monday, councillors across the country will elect
mayors to run local councils for the next four years. Coming in
the backdrop of last year’s disputed and discredited General
Election, the exercise takes place at a crucial period.
Election debacle a
lesson to lay a strong foundation
(24.02.2008) There is a myth by some Kenyans abroad that the 2000
US presidential election debacle remotely resembles the 2007
General Election in essentials and outcome. The grinders of this
myth readily point to the disputed US election and its eventual
determination through the courts as the course of action ODM
should opt for.
Church has failed to
make impact in crisis resolution
(24.02.2008) The impact of Church leaders has not been felt in
resolving the current crisis. They have neither helped us in
averting the gridlock nor in mediation talks. It was obvious that
prior to the elections the Church was not spared the division that
is now strangling the country.
Emerging camps
threaten Kalonzo’s clout in Ukambani
(24.02.2008) Political realignments and simmering undercurrents
are evolving in Ukambani. New power camps are emerging to test the
influence of Vice-President and ODM-Kenya leader, Mr Kalonzo
Musyoka.
Grand coalition
government
(24.02.2008) They are never love affairs and they are never about
sympathy. You don’t even have to like the man or woman you end up
in the Government with.
Squad to curb illegal
logging
(24.02.2008) A special squad has been formed to curb forest
destruction in the North Rift region. They started operations in
forests in Keiyo District on Friday night. The officers arrested
27 people and impounded eight lorries with timber worth about
Sh1million.
Cemetery where the
dead won’t rest
(24.02.2008) In Meru, the dead have no place to rest, and the
living are restless. At a public cemetery located next to Meru
District Hospital mortuary, two men sweat in the sun, struggling
with hoes and spades to scoop out soil from a fresh grave. In the
process, they dig out bones of people buried there.
Mediation talks at a
make or break stage
(24.02.2008) Despite stern warnings of an economic meltdown and a
humanitarian crisis in East Africa precipitated by the political
deadlock in Kenya, the region lacks impetus to navigate the
country out of the turbulence.
Kibaki is a stumbling
block to popular reforms
(24.02.2008) On Tuesday, February 19, Mr Mwai Kibaki released his
proposal on how he and his Party of National Unity intend to
resolve the power crisis that engulfs Kenya. According to him, the
primary consideration is that any power sharing arrangement has to
comply with the dictates of the Constitution.
Large doses of
humility needed
(24.02.2008) Psychics and other paranormals must be doing roaring
business right now. Predicting what will happen next if talks fail
must surely rank up there with security and funeral business as
the most bullish, if somewhat ghoulish!
Kenyan airport union
threatens strike in three weeks
(24.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenya's main airport workers
union on Sunday threatened to strike in three weeks over working
conditions in the east African nation, which is reeling from a
political crisis that has badly damaged the economy.
Only few Tourists flow
back into Kenya
(24.02.2008) Some 600 foreign tourists arrived in the eastern
Kenya resort city of Mombasa over the past week, while 180 arrived
via a cruise ship last weekend, and another 400 arrived into the
country this week from Germany and Austria via charter flights.
Analysts perceive this as a sign that Kenya's multimillion dollar
tourism sector will have completely recovered by August this year.
The road less
travelled: Why the journey to western Kenya is a nightmare
(24.02.2008) One-and-a-half months after the disputed presidential
election results were announced and violence set in, travelling to
western parts of the country is still a nightmare for both
passengers and Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators.
Professionals want
quick solution
(24.02.2008) The umbrella organisation of professional societies
in the region has called on the Kofi Annan-led mediation team to
speed up the search for a solution to the current political crisis.
More cry foul over
nominations
(24.02.2008) The nomination of councillors to local authorities
countrywide got mired in more controversy ahead of Monday’s
mayoral elections.
We must all reject the
evil of tribalism
(24.02.2008) The controversial 2007 presidential election has
brought to the fore the true picture of the nation of Kenya. It is
highly tribal, unequal, fragile and built on seriously flawed
assumptions.
Kenyan deal close to
finalisation
(24.02.2008) Government and opposition leaders in Kenya say they
are once again closing in on a deal to share power. However, they
continue to argue over details.
Kenya's election
uncorks outrage
(24.02.2008) Surprisingly, it's young, educated, integrated men
who are fueling recent tribal violence. NAIROBI, Kenya - He's a
preacher's son and part-time college student who idolizes Martin
Luther King Jr. and aims to leave Kenya's biggest slum.
Kenya's government
says power-sharing structure far from settled
(24.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's rival politicians
remain divided over the details of forming a government together
to end the postelection crisis, government negotiators said
Sunday. The officials said local media reports that the two sides
had gotten as far as divvying up ministries were wrong.
State should ensure
security on the highways
(24.02.2008) Despite constant assurances by the government that
security agents are on top of things, it is now evident that law
enforcement officials have a long way to go before they can
surmount specific security challenges thrown up by post-election
violence.
Rise and fall of
Kenya’s democracy
(24.02.2008) Regarded as a beacon of hope and democracy, the world
is struggling to come to terms with events in Kenya. Locals and
foreigners are dismayed at how quickly the country is sliding back
to the dark old days of fear and repression.
President commends
Annan team
(24.02.2008) President Mwai Kibaki has commended members of the
Kofi Annan-led mediation team and urged them to resolve the
outstanding issues. The President urged them to take into account
the broader national interests and ensure they reached lasting
solutions that enhanced national cohesion.
Kenya edges Close to
deal
(24.02.2008) A deal ending the impasse could be announced mid this
week, if the parties agree on the sole divisive issue remaining at
the talks chaired by former United Nations Secretary General Dr
Kofi Annan.
Out of Kisumu
(24.02.2008) We should have seen it coming. The violence between
the Luo and the Kikuyu tribes that started after the December
elections was spreading again down Kenya’s Rift Valley. By Sunday
evening, there was news that 19 people, including women and
children, all Luos, had been burned in a house in Naivasha. But by
Monday morning in Kisumu, the Luo-dominated city in western Kenya,
everybody went about business normally.
DAY 57
Kenya talks to resume
Monday
(23.02.2008) NAIROBI - Mediators trying to resolve Kenya's
political deadlock adjourned talks on Friday night without
clinching a political settlement on the post of prime minister
which is one of the options for a political settlement.
Time is running out of
Kenya
(23.02.2008) The agreement in principle to establish a prime
minister's office in Kenya, one of the main opposition demands,
may be the key to breaking the deadlock but time is of the essence.
No deal yet
(23.02.2008) Negotiators attempting to end the political standoff
in Kenya again failed to reach a compromise yesterday, despite
promises from the government that a breakthrough was imminent. "There
is nothing," negotiator and senior opposition member William Ruto
said.
Kibaki commends Annan
team
(23.02.2008) President Mwai Kibaki has commended the Government
and all members of the Kofi Annan-led mediation group for the work
they are doing.
Kenya negotiators
consult bosses on impending deal
(23.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Negotiators for Kenya's rival
political parties consulted their bosses on Saturday and poured
over a draft for a new prime minister's post to resolve a
post-election crisis that has killed more than 1,000 people.
Whether we like it or
not, the US must undo the Gordian Knot
(23.02.2008) In the third century, Greek and Persian empires
shared the then known world and enjoyed complete duopoly of
military and economic power. Alexander the Great wanted sole
dominance and, between him and the world, stood an ancient myth
that whoever undid the Gordian Knot in Phrygia, Turkey, would rule
the world.
It wasn't business as
usual when Condoleezza hit town
(23.02.2008) She’s brisk, she’s bright, she’s (red, white and)
blue — and oh yeah, black too. She’s Condoleezza Rice, “the most
powerful woman in the world.” For a few hours on Monday, she was
in Nairobi for the highest-profile visit to Kenya since her
predecessor, Mr Colin Powell, came to bid President Moi adieu in
2001.
Athletes deny link to
North Rift violence
(23.02.2008) Former and current athletes from the North Rift
yesterday denied having sponsored the recent political violence in
the region.
Group warns of looming
crisis
(23.02.2008) Chief mediator Kofi Annan should not let the
Government and the Opposition postpone the tough details of a
power-sharing agreement as this could see the country plunge into
a fresh wave of violence, the International Crisis Group warns.
Kenyan game reserve
devastated by fire
(23.02.2008) A series of devastating wildfires are still burning
after blazing through Kenya's most popular game reserve.
Here's How to Deal
With the Feeling of Trauma After Post-Poll Violence
(23.02.2008) Since the December 27 elections, people all over the
world have either read newspaper articles or watched images on
television of Kenyans who have been brutalised, killed or
displaced from their homes. Official estimates put the death toll
at 1,000 and 400,000 displaced.
Kenyan negotiators
meet with supporters to firm up power-sharing deal
(23.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya: Government and opposition negotiators
met with party leaders Saturday as they tried to use a weekend
break to firm up a power-sharing deal to end Kenya's bloody
political crisis.
Power sharing is not
democratic nor costitutional
(23.02.2008) Condoleezza Rice arrived in Kenya apparently to speak
with the Kenyan leaders, President Mwai Kibaki and the opposition
leader Raila Odinga. Her mission was to deliver a message from
president Bush. President Bush demanded that the two leaders enter
into a power sharing agreement.
Washington Update
(23.02.2008) The crisis in Kenya has become an urgent focus for
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Africa Subcommittee, and
this has delayed work on Ethiopian democracy and human rights
issues.
Kenyan wildlife park
bush fire rages for second day
(23.02.2008) NAKURU, Kenya (Reuters) - Using branches to beat back
flames, Kenyan rangers and residents struggled for a second day on
Saturday to control bush fires that have engulfed a third of one
of the nation's best-known wildlife parks.
Government, Opposition
Negotiators in Kenya to Hold Internal Talks
(23.02.2008) Negotiators on both sides of the bloody political
crisis in Kenya are taking advantage of a break in talks to
consult with their bosses and supporters.
Kenya's Odinga
unexpectedly heads to Nigeria
(23.02.2008) A critical day for Kenya's peace talks hit a snag
yesterday when the opposition leader unexpectedly left the country
and his party said the government failed to show up on time for
the latest negotiations.
Kenyan wildfires force
out hunters and hunted
(23.02.2008) ... Warthogs can go months without water and when
startled they can run at up to 30mph. They sometimes allow banded
mongooses to groom them for ticks. Marsh mongoose - a solitary
carnivore and efficient swimmer, it is reported to lure birds by
lying motionless with its pink rear end sticking up in the air
before pouncing on them.
Kenyan politicians
meet with supporters to firm up power-sharing deal
(23.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Government and opposition
leaders in Kenya said they were once again closing in on a deal to
share power Saturday, but continued to spar over details as they
asked a violence-weary country to wait a few days more for the end
of a bloody political crisis.
Declare tribalism a
crime: VP
(23.02.2008) Kenyans should learn from the decision by Rwanda to
declare tribalism a crime. Vice president Kalonzo Musyoka says it
was prudent for Rwanda to criminalize negative ethnicity since it
was an abuse of tribe, which sometimes leads to ethnic based
violence.
Junior officers
ordered to surrender small arms
(23.02.2008) Junior police officers in Nyanza have been ordered to
surrender all small arms assigned to them. The directive comes
amid fears of misuse of the weapons to settle vendettas in the
police force.
Mediation Group's
Legality Challenged in Court
(23.02.2008) A parliamentary loser has moved to court to challenge
the constitutionality of the mediation team. Mr Antony Ndung'u
Kirori wants the High Court to issue an order restraining all the
negotiators from adopting any resolution by the Kofi Annan team
which is likely to alter the governance structure of Kenya in
violation of the Constitution.
Leaders urged to
refrain from commenting on talks
(23.02.2008) ... (... and how shall community leaders get involved,
if you muzzle their voices?, Mr. Ambassador! - Germany certainly
doesn't call for such - just YOU do!) - Germany is calling on
leaders to stop commenting on the Annan led proceedings. Germany
Ambassador to Kenya Walter Lindner said commenting on the peace
process was not helping the negotiations.
Residents Face
Starvation As WFP Suspends Food Aid
(23.02.2008) The World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended school
feeding programmes in Malindi District even as a Government agency
forecasts an imminent famine in the Coast. WFP suspended the
programme after an assessment team found out that the area does
not require food supplements.
Kenya: Research Points
to Election Fraud
(23.02.2008) Karuti Kanyinga, a senior research fellow at the
Institute for Development Studies of the University of Nairobi,
explains in these excerpts from an AllAfrica interview why
analysts have concluded that December’s presidential election in
Kenya was rigged.
Nakuru park catches
fire
(23.02.2008) Lake Nakuru National Park was on verge of total
destruction Friday as a wild fire, which broke out on Thursday,
continued unabated for the second day.
Bushfire engulfs
Kenyan wildlife park
(23.02.2008) Kenya (Reuters) - A bushfire engulfed Kenya's Lake
Nakuru park on Friday, destroying vegetation and terrifying
wildlife at one of the east African nation's top tourist
destinations, local authorities said.
Githongo tells of
fights with ministers
(23.02.2008) Former anti-corruption star John Githongo has talked
of how he differed with Cabinet ministers appointed by President
Kibaki on the best way to fight corruption when the Narc
Government came to power.
ODM calls for mass
defiance if talks fail
(23.02.2008) ODM has called for mass civil disobedience from
Wednesday next week if the Annan-led talks fail to achieve
tangible results.
This insatiable lust
for land must end
(23.02.2008) As we engage in political acrobatics at the House of
Peace with Mr Kofi Annan and his team, a few unscrupulous people
are subverting the public interest.
The world needs a new
Kenya
(23.02.2008) AS Kenya recovers from post-election mayhem, the
people are investing their hopes in the Kofi Annan-led team to
find a lasting solution to the political crisis.
State should act on
report about militias
(23.02.2008) A report by the International Crisis Group claiming
that politicians were grooming militia in readiness for war should
the peace talks collapse, cannot be taken lightly. In fact, it
should be a wake-up call to the authorities, particularly the
police, to keenly monitor what is going on across the country.
The last hurdle to new
prime minister
(23.02.2008) Only a constitutional amendment seemed to stand in
the way of the long-awaited settlement to the country’s
post-election crisis Friday after a day of long talks and
factional consultations.
Victims find ancestral
homes not so welcome
(23.02.2008) The real impact of the humanitarian crisis sparked
off by the post-election violence is beginning to unfold in Nyanza.
Many displaced people cannot trace their homes.
Displaced families
face adversity at home
(23.02.2008) When vehicles were provided to take them to their
ancestral homes, the displaced families could hardly hide their
joy.
Polls: We never know
the truth
(23.02.2008) It is said truth is a big casualty in any conflict.
It is also said that there are three ways to look at truth. The
first is a person’s own perspective. The other is what other
people think. Then there is the indifferent plank of truth. When
there are opposing arguments, each side holds what they think as
the truth.
Like everybody else,
rulers are subject to rule of law
(23.02.2008) Sovereignty is the ultimate liberty and authority,
given to humans by Divinity. It is the exclusive claim to
unrestrained control. Such control could be over an area of
governance, or it could be unbridled authority over a people. It
could even be exclusive power over oneself and over one’s property.
Church must give
Annan’s team time
(23.02.2008) Even before Kenyans can
comprehend the Church’s admission that
for tribal considerations, it failed to
stay above the fray in the
General Election, the clergy are
back sermonising.
IDPs assured of HIV
drug supply
(23.02.2008) The Government has assured HIV- positive displaced
people in camps that it will provide them with Anti-retroviral
drugs. Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal, said the
Government had supplied sufficient drugs to IDP camps.
Annan talks now taken
to court
(23.02.2008) The mediation process led by former UN chief, Dr
Koffi Annan has been challenged in court. A Lang’ata parliamentary
loser in last year’s General Election has gone to court seeking
temporary orders to restrain the Annan team from adopting any
resolution arising from the talks.
Two injured as raiders
hit Timboroa (and police shoot six youth)
(23.02.2008) Two people were attacked and seriously injured in
Timboroa, Uasin Gishu District. One of the injured was shot while
the other was hacked with machetes by raiders who stole about 150
sheep.
Athletes appeal for a
stop to harassment
(23.02.2008) Athletes from the North Rift have asked the
Government for protection from people claiming they sponsored
violence. Retired, current and budding runners on Friday gathered
at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret to protest at victimisation.
Elder to spend weekend
in police custody
(23.02.2008) Eldoret elder Jackson Kibor will spend the weekend in
custody after police failed to charge him in court. The elderly
politician spent his third day in police custody and it is not
clear when he would be charged or released.
420 children yet to
trace families
(23.02.2008) Hundreds of displaced children cannot trace their
families, a humanitarian organisation has said. The Kenya Red
Cross Society (KRCS) has since January registered 420 missing
children. Most of the children are under five years. This has made
efforts to trace their families hard since most of them cannot
speak well.
Mediation team leaves
meeting tight-lipped
(23.02.2008) The headache of fine-tuning the function of the
office of prime minister and the shape of a power-sharing Cabinet
slowed down mediation talks even as local and international
pressure mounted.
MPs demand executive
premier
(23.02.2008) ODM MPs have told their colleagues at the Annan-led
talks to accept nothing short of an executive Prime Minister. The
MPs emerged out of a Parliamentary Group meeting, on Friday and
pressured the negotiating team to go for a Prime Minister with
executive powers.
Briefing On Recent
Africa Trip
(23.02.2008) Briefing on Recent Africa Trip - (WAS THAT ALL?) -
SECRETARY RICE: Good afternoon. I thought I would stop off in
Washington on my way from Africa to Asia and pick up those of you
who will be going on with me to Asia. Let me just make a few
opening remarks and then I'm happy to take your questions.
DAY 56
Kenya crisis talks
break for weekend without deal
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Negotiators for President Mwai
Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga broke off talks on
Kenya's post-election crisis on Friday, saying they would hold
consultations over the weekend and resume on Monday.
Mediation group’s
legality challenged in court
(22.02.2008) A parliamentary loser has moved to court to challenge
the constitutionality of the mediation team. Mr Antony Ndung’u
Kirori wants the High Court to issue an order restraining all the
negotiators from adopting any resolution by the Kofi Annan team
which is likely to alter the governance structure of Kenya in
violation of the Constitution.
Kenya peace talks in
disarray
(22.02.2008) Nairobi (AP) - A critical day for Kenya's peace talks
has been thrown into disarray when the opposition leader
unexpectedly left the country and his party said the government
failed to show up on time for the latest negotiations.
Hopes fade of Kenya
crisis solution
(22.02.2008) Talks to end Kenya's post-election crisis have
reached a crucial stage amid fears of renewed violence if the two
sides cannot agree soon to share power, a leading diplomat said.
Give people and peace
a chance, ActionAid urges Kenya's political leaders
(22.02.2008) In response to confusing signals coming from Kenyan
political leaders in the last two days, ActionAid says that it is
time to put people and peace before politics and power.
The might of rights
(22.02.2008) An open economy, with property safeguards and the
rule of law, is the key to beating poverty - Here are some figures
you won't believe if you only read the headlines about global
poverty. More wealth has been created in the past six decades than
in all previous history, and it has reduced poverty.
Speech of the
Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon at the Africa
Investment & Finance Conference (22.02.2008) How many
times do you hear people begin a statement with the words, “The
trouble with Africa…”? Not only does that give a starting point to
any conversation that is negative, but it is based on assumptions
that are factually wrong, as I intend to explain. And it also
implies that all Africa is the same, which is another assumption I
intend to tackle.
Kenya can't solve it
alone
(22.02.2008) International help to end the crisis is not meddling
but a moral duty, and our leaders must embrace it. The
post-election crisis in Kenya remains unresolved. The damage being
done to the country's economy is severe: tourism, horticulture,
and other industries that depend on trade beyond the Kenyan border
are reeling. Thousands of livelihoods, along with investments
throughout the region, are threatened and collapsing.
Kenya says it expects
deal to end political crisis
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Government and opposition
negotiators met in Kenya on Friday with promises to sign a
power-sharing deal by the end of the day _ encouraging hope of a
real resolution to a postelection crisis that has sparked weeks of
deadly violence.
Africa's top diplomat
pushes Kenya rivals to agree
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - Africa's top diplomat was meeting
Kenya's feuding parties on Friday to push for a deal after the
government agreed in principle to create a prime minister's post
to help end a deadly post-election crisis.
Foreign countries are
not meddling, just trying to help
(22.02.2008) The post-election crisis in Kenya remains unresolved.
The damage being done to the country’s economy is severe: tourism,
horticulture, and other industries that depend on trade beyond the
Kenyan border are reeling. Thousands of livelihoods, along with
investments throughout the region, are threatened and collapsing.
Exclude Warlords From
the Deal
(22.02.2008) PROMOTING POWER-SHARING has become appealing to the
international community and to Kenyans as a response to
the internal conflict. Frustrated by the
lack of success, many international actors, civil society
activists, politicians and ordinary Kenyans have
looked towards power-sharing arrangements as the most appropriate
model for political change.
AU head pleased with
progress in Kenya talks
(22.02.2008) Newly-elected African Union (AU) Commission
chairperson, Jean Ping, says he was satisfied with talks between
Kenya's rival politicians to end the country's post election
crisis.
Following IDPs moving
from Tigoni to the Western Region
(22.02.2008) Lucy Hannan looks at the human toll of the Kenya
crisis and calls for the Immediate assistance for the huge
population of migrant returnees.
Kenyan violence:
athletes threaten World championship withdrawal
(22.02.2008) Nairobi, Kenya - Kenyan athletes Friday threatened to
withdraw from the World Cross Country championships set for
Edinburgh, Scotland, in March if the go v ernment failed to
provide them with adequate security as they prepare for the event.
Kenya peace talks
continue as opposition accuses gov't of stonewalling
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - A top African
Union official said Friday he was satisfied with
talks between Kenya's rival politicians to end the country's
deadly postelection crisis, even as the opposition leader
unexpectedly left the country and his party accused the government
of stonewalling.
Pastor-politician
points to Muslims as source of Kenyan violence; experts disagree
(22.02.2008) - (Now the religious arsonists wont to have a field
day!) - DALLAS - Religious extremism prompted much of the violence
surrounding Kenya’s disputed presidential elections, according to
a Kenyan expatriate and Baptist pastor who lost a bid for a seat
in parliament. But international experts with contacts in the
region point to ethnic and political divisions - not religion - as
precipitating the bloodshed.
Tergat denies Kenyan
athletes funded militias
(22.02.2008) Nairobi, Kenya - Former world marathon record holder
Paul Tergat Friday has denied allegations by the International
Crisis Group (ICG) allegations that Kenyan athletes funded
militias in the post-poll election violence saying they "so u nd
far-fetched".
Kenya tribes clash
over cattle, 14 dead
(22.02.2008) ISIOLO, Kenya (Reuters) - At least 14 people were
killed during clashes this week between rival pastoralist groups
in central Kenya, authorities and locals said.
WITNESS-In Kenya,
watching as tribalism takes over
(22.02.2008) NAIVASHA, Kenya (Reuters) - The drive into Kenya's
Rift Valley is a breathtaking climb up over the escarpment
followed by a precarious, winding descent down into Naivasha.
Kibaki's meeting with
PNU team delays talks
(22.02.2008) President Kibaki's meeting with PNU negotiators has
resulted in a delay of today's peace talks. The ODM side and
Annan's team were kept waiting for their government counterparts
for close to four hours.
'Murder arrest was
Kenyan plot to grab land'
(22.02.2008) A Kenyan aristocrat on trial for his life has accused
powerful political forces of fabricating a murder case against him
to seize the estate that his great-grandfather crafted from the
bush a century ago.
Kenya cops kill 11
cattle raiders
(22.02.2008) Nairobi - Kenyan police have killed 11 raiders in the
country's volatile Rift Valley province, says a police commander.
The seven were killed late on Wednesday in Laikipia district, a
barren region often affected by cattle rustling, around 200km
north of the capital, said the commander, asking to remain unnamed.
Kenyan stalemate
stifling regional economies -bloc
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI (Reuters) - The Kenyan political stalemate
has choked business in fellow East African Community (EAC) states,
an official of the regional trade bloc said.
Kenya Peace Talks Hit
Snag
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Kenya's opposition leader
unexpectedly left the country Friday, the day government
negotiators and their rivals had promised to sign a power-sharing
deal to end the postelection crisis that has sparked weeks of
deadly violence.
Snag hits key day in
Kenya talks
(22.02.2008) A Kenyan government delegation has failed to arrive
on time for crucial talks with the opposition, aimed at ending
weeks of post-election violence. In response, opposition
representatives left the talks venue, saying they would return
later, after a press conference.
Deal in the Making
(22.02.2008) The Office of the Prime minister is to be assigned a
supervisory role in addition to co-ordinating affairs of the
envisaged coalition Government.
State to Reveal Cost
of Rebuilding Clash Victims' Homes
(22.02.2008) The full cost to the government of helping the
internally displaced victims of post-election violence to rebuild
their homes will be known next week.
Man killed in housing
row
(22.02.2008) A man was hacked to death as chaos linked to police
raids to evict “illegal occupants” spread to Nairobi’s Korogocho
area.
Rift Valley security
team wants risk pay enforced
(22.02.2008) - (First they
kill and stand by while others kill - then they demand payrise!)
Divisional police
commanders in Rift Valley Province want risk allowances
implemented, according to a source at a two-day meeting they held
at Nakuru a few days ago.
Cleric warns talks
team over comments
(22.02.2008) The Government side in the ongoing peace talks was
Thursday accused of using the Constitution as an excuse to block
the mediation process.
Held trader’s lawyer
says it’s politics
(22.02.2008) A prominent Uasin Gishu farmer and businessman who
was arrested in Eldoret on murder charges was Thursday being held
at the Rift Valley CID offices.
40 bodies of violence
victims still at mortuary
(22.02.2008) More than 40 bodies of post-election violence victims
are still uncollected at an Eldoret hospital.
Third arrest made in
MP Were’s killing
(22.02.2008) A third suspect has been arrested and agreed to
confess before a magistrate to having killed Embakasi MP Mugabe
Were last month.
Insecurity: ODM wants
Parliament reopened
(22.02.2008) ODM Thursday asked President Kibaki to re-open
Parliament next week so that MPs can address the key issue of
growing insecurity in the country.
We don't want heroics,
just sober and serious leadership
(22.02.2008) WRITING IN THE LOCAL press at the start of the first
Kibaki presidency, former Fida-Kenya boss Jean Kamau was so
overwhelmed that she declared that our new leader had the
potential to be Kenya’s Nelson Mandela.
Our leaders must make
sacrifices
(22.02.2008) The Party of National Unity and its rival, the Orange
Democratic Movement, have now settled for the creation of a prime
minister’s post as part of a deal to end Kenya’s seven-week
political crisis.
Kibaki urges Kenyans
to unite for progress
(22.02.2008) President Kibaki has reassured Kenyans that the
country will overcome the current political challenges and get
back to the development path it had embarked on.
Cotu calls for review
of Constitution
(22.02.2008) The workers umbrella body Thursday joined calls for a
minimum review of the Constitution to break the political impasse
in the country.
Churches call for
fresh poll
(22.02.2008) Kenyan religious leaders have called for a fresh
general election as the only way out of the current political
crisis.
Hope over PM deal
(22.02.2008) Government and ODM negotiators Thursday closed ranks
and agreed on the creation of the position of a Prime Minister.
Alert on Aids drug
resistance
(22.02.2008) Kenya faces a possible twin disaster characterised by
HIV/Aids drug resistance and a looming epidemic occasioned by
post-election chaos.
Programme denied
funding
(22.02.2008) The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs
has suffered a setback following delays in funding of the crucial
Governance, Justice, Law and Order Sector (GJLOS) Reform
Programme.
AU, Commonwealth push
for deal
(22.02.2008) The Commonwealth and African Union (AU) continue to
pile pressure on PNU and ODM to reach an agreement.
NCEC, Muite defend
Press
(22.02.2008) Kenyans will not give up their rights of freedom of
expression and the Press, the Government has been told.
Keep sideshows out of
the mediation talks
(22.02.2008) Talks to resolve the political crisis have been on
for a number of weeks now. Kenyans, neighbouring countries and the
world are waiting with bated breath for a solution to the
post-election mayhem in which 1,000 lives have been lost and
350,000 displaced from their homes and places of work.
Act tough on leaders,
says report
(22.02.2008) A report wants pressure sustained on leaders who
triggered and fanned violence after the elections or are blocking
a solution to the political crisis.
Atwoli: No time for
hardliners
(22.02.2008) The Constitution does not guarantee return to peace
and democracy, a trade unionist has claimed. Central Organisation
of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General, Mr Francis Atwoli, on
Wednesday, said the Constitution was not cast in stone and could
be amended to ensure peace was restored.
Annan co-chair
experienced
(22.02.2008) The man co-opted to help Dr Kofi Annan in the
mediation talks has had a successful diplomatic career.
Pope’s aide plea for
quick solution to end crisis
(22.02.2008) Pope Benedict’s representative has expressed concern
over the local political crisis. He called for peace and justice,
saying that Kenyans had suffered unnecessarily in the past two
months.
Let’s do what it takes
to end violations of human rights
(22.02.2008) If power sharing is what it will take to stop crimes
against humanity so be it. But whatever the power sharing
arrangements, we must not lose sight of the real issues that
provoked predator instincts.
Kibor may face murder
trial
(22.02.2008) A former Kanu strongman could face murder charges.
Lawyers for Mr Jackson Kibor, who is being held at Nakuru Central
Police Station, on Thursday said though he was arrested for
alleged incitement, the State was preparing murder charges.
Kibaki reassures on
settlement
(22.02.2008) President Kibaki sought divine intervention as he
expressed hope that the post-election crisis would end soon.
Speaking at the burial of former Director of Intelligence, James
Kanyotu, in Kirinyaga District on Wednesday, Kibaki termed the
current state of affairs as "challenges of humanity".
After political
agreement, two governments in one no option
(22.02.2008) President Kibaki will, barring the inevitable and
unforeseeable, serve a full term. What is no longer on the Orange
Democratic Movement cards in the negotiations is the demand that
he accepts he stole the election and quit.
In defence of Kalonzo:
A reply to Dominic Odipo
(22.02.2008) The Standard’s Monday columnist of many years’
standing, Mr Dominic Odipo, has lately taken to bashing
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka in the most embarrassing vendetta
of the post-General Election period.
Mass action call cited
at Annan mediation
(22.02.2008) The ODM threat to call mass action was part of the
agenda in the mediation talks. On Thursday, both sides agreed it
was reckless to issue intimidating statements.
MP murder weapon
recovered
(22.02.2008) The weapon used to kill the Embakasi MP has been
recovered, police investigators have said. They also recovered
personal documents stolen from Mugabe Were. Two suspects have been
arrested, one in Machakos and the other along the Kenya-Uganda
border as he allegedly tried to escape.
Ten Die As Warriors
Clash Over Cattle
(22.02.2008) More than ten people were feared dead after Samburu
and Pokot warriors clashed over cattle in Laikipia West District.
Armed and dangerous
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI (IRIN) - Kenya is at risk of plunging into a
new wave of violence, despite progress in negotiations to end a
political crisis, because several armed groups are mobilising on
all sides of the country's ethno-political divisions, according to
the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank.
Two Killed in Rent
Chaos in City Slum
(22.02.2008) Two people, including a baby, were killed in a row
over rent in Nairobi. The baby was trampled on during a stampede
as gangs fought running battles in Ngomongo slums, on Thursday. A
man was also hacked to death in the mayhem.
Director Downplays
Showdown
(22.02.2008) The Director of Information, Mr Ezekiel Mutua, has
downplayed a face-off with the Media Council of Kenya. Addressing
journalists on Thursday, Mutua said the council had clarified that
it had not set up a task force to audit the media, but had set up
a committee to look into terms of references of the Government
task force.
Peace Deal Nearly Done
in Kenya
(22.02.2008) NAIROBI, Kenya - Kenya’s rival political parties have
nearly finalized a deal to end the political crisis that has kept
this country on edge for almost two months, with the government
agreeing to create a prime minister position, one of the
opposition’s key demands, a high-ranking government official said
Thursday.
STATE OF THE NATION:
Blind with power and ambition, they cannot see the fires
(22.02.2008) The seeming reluctance by the Kenyan parties to the
Kofi Annan-led mediation to make the concessions to stabilise the
country after the post-election violence (at least the first round
of it), the insistence by the government side that its position is
right and the opposition’s adamance on getting the biggest prize
are all too familiar. We saw them all and their consequences
catching the players totally by surprise in Cote d’Ivoire.
PART 8 - 22th Feb.
2008 until 25. Feb. 2008
PART
1 ;
2 ;
3 ;
4 ;
5
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6 ;
7 ;
8 ;
9 ;
10
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11
; NEWS
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