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More lives lost
Published on January 21, 2008, 12:00 am
Standard, Kenya
By Alex Ndegwa
The Orange party leader Mr Raila Odinga spoke of peace "returning
soon" as the Government made an important concession by allowing
today’s mass funeral service in the first ever sign of softening
up.
But there was widespread outrage over the Kalonzo Musyoka-led
mediation team, on a day 26 more lives were violently snuffed out.
In the midst of all this, the Catholic Church’s John Cardinal Njue
sent out a passionate plea to President Kibaki and Mr Raila Odinga:
Swallow your pride, sit down and talk so that you save this
country before it is too late.
The prelate, who was presiding over mass at St Augustine Catholic
Parish, Juja, added: "Go beyond where you are. Look ahead and
realise that for Kenya to be peaceful, for current tribal
divisions to end and for the killings of innocent Kenyans to stop,
you must dialogue".
Police pursue rival groups who
fought in Huruma Estate in Nairobi on Sunday. At least two
people were hacked to death and many more injured. Picture
by George Mulala |
But as he spoke of ODM’s
willingness to dialogue, Raila told a congregation at the
Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) Holy Trinity Parish in Kibera
- a slum that has bore the brunt of the post-election
violence - that the supporters of the wounded Orange party
have urged him to stand firm and not retreat.
"Peace will soon prevail even if it means that we negotiate
with a thief if that is what it will take to bring it,"
Raila said without elaborating.
But the Lang’ata MP cautioned the Government against any
tricks.
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Speaking on the eve of a week in
which mediation talks are expected to take centre stage with the
arrival of former United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan,
Raila said the church had an obligation to stand against
injustices and defend democracy.
He, however, said he regretted that a section of the church
leadership had already taken sides with the ‘troublemakers’.
"It is hypocritical to see that some church leaders are siding
with the people who have snatched democracy away from the citizens,
hence the cause of trouble," Raila said.
Quoting Martin Luther King, Raila said: "I have a dream that one
day the people of this county shall not be judged by their tribe
but by the content of their character".
He referred to the political impasse gripping the country as a "temptation"
saying ODM "shall overcome the injustices no matter how long it
takes".
Raila made these remarks even as the country remained on the
international radar. Both the World Bank and the African
Development Bank said they would continue to monitor developments
in Kenya closely and would keep their programs under review
depending on the unfolding scenario.
By licensing the planned ODM mass prayers for last week’s victims
of a deadly police clampdown on protesters, the Government made a
huge step in limiting - if not altogether eliminating - the
violence, hooliganism and unprecedented scale of destruction
witnessed since the declaration of Mwai Kibaki as the winner of
the presidential elections described as seriously flawed.
"The service will go on as planned. I want to assure religious
leaders behind the event that police would not stop it," Mr Simon
Kiragu, the Kisumu OCPD told The Standard yesterday, when asked if
the mass planned for the Moi Stadium from 10am today had been
sanctioned.
He added: "We know it will be an emotional service but we urge
politicians and religious leaders to take control and restrain
their supporters from engaging in acts of violence".
Police have shot dead at least 70 people in Kisumu alone since the
post-election violence erupted.
This week promises to be another tough one after ODM renewed calls
for mass action, expected to ignite fresh duels on the streets
over the political crisis that has paralysed the country.
ODM also pulled out another card off its sleeve after it added
economic boycott of certain companies and products, beginning this
week to pile more pressure on Government.
Another storm was also brewing around the 10-member committee led
by VP Kalonzo picked to spearhead talks by President Kibaki.
Several Opposition MPs, church leaders and Nobel Peace laureate
Prof Wangari Maathai have all taken issue with Kalonzo leading the
talks.
But three Cabinet ministers and an MP yesterday came to Kalonzo’s
defence and told Raila to embrace dialogue instead of taking issue
with the composition of the Government team.
Ms Martha Karua (Justice), Mr Moses Wetangula (Foreign Affairs),
Mr Samuel Poghisio (Information) and Mbooni MP Mr Mutula Kilonzo
told ODM to come clean and state whether they are interested in
dialogue or not.
Annan is expected in the country at the head of an "Eminent
Africans" group to try and help kick-start dialogue between Kibaki
and Raila.
Other members of the African Union team are former Tanzanian
President Benjamin Mkapa and wife of former South Africa president,
Graca Machel.
ODM’s programme begins today when the party holds
inter-denominational funeral services for their supporters killed
in post-election violence in Kisumu.
A follow-up one would be held in Nairobi at Ligi Ndogo grounds on
Wednesday.
Friday will be the national day of prayers to commemorate all the
"martyrs who have given their lives in the peaceful struggle for
democracy, the rule of law and the rejection of the December 27
presidential election results".
And on Thursday, the party plans to hold countrywide peace rallies.
The Government has, however, outlawed political assemblies and the
mass action is expected to bring a fresh round of confrontation
with the police.
Official statistics show that more than 500 people have died
across the country and more than 250,000 displaced and property
worth billions looted, torched or destroyed.
The crisis has also dented the previously booming economy - due to
losses incurred in closures of businesses and destruction to
property - and hit supplies to east and central African neighbours,
including Uganda.
Lukewarm diplomatic efforts have so far been fruitless in
unlocking the political standoff.
Ghanaian President and African Union head John Kufuor, and other
international figures, including US’s top diplomat for Africa Dr
Jendayi Frazer, failed to bring the feuding sides together.
The international community has thrown its weight behind the fresh
mediation efforts led by Annan, whose fate however remains
uncertain as both sides dig into their trenches.
Last Monday, Roads minister Mr John Michuki, a core member of
Kibaki’s Cabinet, threw the scheduled diplomatic efforts into a
spin when he said there was no need for outside help.
"We won the elections ... We do not see the point for anyone
coming to mediate power sharing," he said. "We have not invited
Kofi Annan or any other eminent personality to come and mediate."
ODM’s renewed call for mass action too seemed to contradict
Annan’s earlier appeal to both parties to refrain from actions
that could undermine scheduled mediation talks.
"Pending this (mediation), no party should create facts on the
ground or engage in acts that complicate the search for a
negotiated solution," Annan said. "The purpose of our mission is
to help the Kenyan people find a peaceful and just solution to the
current crisis".
The donor community has threatened an aid cut if the political
crisis is not settled. Both the EU and the US have cautioned that
it will not be business as usual until there is a political
compromise that leads to a lasting solution "that reflects the
will of the Kenyan people, wins their confidence and helps return
Kenya to stability".
Already, the EU Parliament has recommended to its members to stop
aid to the country, until the political impasse is resolved.
But EU aid commissioner Louis Michel, who is in the country in the
latest diplomatic efforts to try to defuse the crisis, met
President Kibaki on Saturday and assured that the EU was yet to
freeze aid, saying it would wait for the outcome of dialogue.
The EU election monitoring team concluded the elections fell below
international and regional standards.
Raila reiterated he was open to dialogue but he has ruled out any
talks spearheaded by Kalonzo whom he described as a traitor.
"How can a Jesus Christ and his disciples sit in a committee
chaired by Judas Iscariot? Kalonzo is a traitor," Raila was quoted
as saying at the weekend.
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