Brief Update on Crisis in Kenya

The General National elections were held in Kenya on December 27, 2007; the results of the Presidential election were announced three days later. Within minutes of the announcement that Hon. Mwai Kibaki had emerged as the winner, there were spontaneous acts of opposition to the government in all parts of the country. The opposition was especially intense among the jobless youth who had voted overwhelmingly for change.

On 3rd January, 2008 the Orange Democratic Movement called for a peaceful protest. The government decline to permit it. An attempt by the leaders and their supporters to reach Uhuru Park, the venue for the meeting was stopped by the anti-riot police. Later the Orange Democratic called off the meeting and vowed hold it on Friday 4th January 2008. The violence in Nairobi left 3 people dead and properties destroyed. Later on in the day the President had a press conference where he committed himself to dialogue with the Orange Democratic Movement at a time when there would be relative calm in the country.

In a point of view I see that the calls for peace and reconciliation by the political and religious leaders will remain hollow until there are efforts to break from the recursive processes of looting, extra judicial killings, rape and violation of women, and general low respect for peoples’ lives And most important, the two key political leaders must dialogue to break the stalemate in the country.