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Groups urged to end media drives
Story by SAMWEL KUMBA
Publication Date: 1/28/2008
Rival political camps should stop media campaigns trying to
justify their positions regarding the December 27 elections,
business executives said Sunday
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The executives drawn from various institutions and companies said
the campaigns were only exacerbating the crisis.
“In fact all campaign materials should be pulled down as part of
the healing process. The Electoral Commission of Kenya should
equally stop its media campaigns trying to justify its position.
This is not adding value to the negotiations,” said Mike Macharia,
the Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Hotel
Keepers and Caterers (KAHC).
The business community has now moved away from counting losses to
active participation on how to end the crisis, having met the Kofi
Annan-led mediators on Sunday to state their position on the way
forward.
The business group called for a power sharing arrangement,
maintaining that it was the only option President Kibaki and Mr
Raila Odinga have to sort out the crisis.
“This power sharing arrangement must be a path to lasting peace,
emerge from agreements between PNU and ODM, their respective
parties and coalitions. It has to be an agreement that should
provide for immediate resettlement of displaced persons,” said the
chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Steve Smith.
The community also called for a new constitution, truth and
reconciliation as well as justice and amnesty processes.
Others at Sunday’s press briefing included Kanja Waruru from the
Media Owners Association, Lucy Karume chairperson of KAHC and
Samuel Mwaura the CEO of Kenya Private Sector Alliance.
Expressed concern
The others were Vimal Shah the KAM Vice Chairman, Wangui Muchiri
CEO of the Nairobi Central Business District Association and Keli
Kiilu representing the Informal Sector East African Forum and an
advocate of the High Court, Philip Murgor, who was giving them
legal advice.
Annan, however, did not share with the group what the two
protagonists stand for in the process, and only expressed concern
about the violence which continued to claim human lives.
The business leaders condemned the ongoing killings which they say
have evolved from the disputed election into criminal acts.
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