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AFRICA TODAY- JANUARY
2008 NEWSLETTER
Kenya's Disputed Poll Sparks Call for International Probe
By Thalif Deen, Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 2 (IPS) - Amidst growing calls for an
international investigation into last week's disputed presidential
elections in Kenya, the continued rioting and killings in that East
African nation are threatening to destabilise a staunch U.S. ally in
the global war on terrorism.
"What is taking place in Kenya today is a mockery of democracy,"
said Rev. Gabriel Odima, president of the U.S.-based Africa Centre
for Peace and Democracy.
"The international community, especially the United States, the
United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU), should take a strong
position, and force President Mwai Kibaki to step down to pave the
way for an independent audit to resolve the current crisis in
Kenya," he told IPS.
He said the cause of democracy and the enjoyment by the citizens of
human rights and freedoms have suffered, and will continue to suffer
in Kenya, "as long as the international community gives support and
credibility to oppressive and repressive regimes in Africa."
The Kenya Human Rights Commission and the International Federation
for Human Rights have condemned the killings of some 300 people, and
appealed for the establishment of an international commission of
inquiry to probe charges of a rigged presidential election.
The appeal has been directed at the African Union (AU), the EU and
the Commonwealth Secretariat -- all three of which are in a position
to exert political pressure on President Kibaki.
Touted as a role model for multi-party democracy in Africa, Kenya is
one of the largest recipients of U.S. development and military
assistance in the politically-troubled continent.
"Kenya is the linchpin of East African stability and is a frontline
state in the fight against terrorism," says the latest 2008 U.S.
"Congressional Budget Justification for Foreign Operations" released
by the State Department.
For fiscal year 2008, which ends in October, the United States has
earmarked an estimated 540.4 million dollars to Kenya, mostly for
peace and security, good governance, military training, child
survival and humanitarian assistance -- up from 269.5 million
dollars in 2006.
These increases include 481 million dollars for fighting HIV/AIDS
(up from 175.9 million dollars in 2006); 28.3 million dollars for
development assistance (up from 21.6 million); 800,000 dollars in
military credits (up from zero); and 550,000 dollars for military
education and training (also up from zero).
In its report, the State Department says that Kenya "has the
potential to become a transformational country and achieve improved
standards of living, improved quality of life, and more transparent,
less corrupt and more participatory democratic governance."
But such progress, the report argues, will require an economic
growth rate of 7.0 to 8.0 percent per year on a sustained basis.
According to the latest available figures, however, Kenya's growth
rate was only about 5.8 percent in 2005.
If the current crisis continues to worsen, it could adversely affect
the country's growing economy, particularly the tourist trade which
brings in over one billion dollars annually.
Rev. Odima said the agonies of the people and the loss of lives and
property in Kenya, and other African countries like Uganda, are not
isolated cases.
"The very sad events in Kenya have some similarities with the events
in Uganda and Rwanda. Kenya is moving towards being another failed
state in the region," he warned.
Odima also said that to use the police or the military to suppress
the people's choice and claim victory in an election which many
Kenyans believe was won by opposition leader Amolo Raila Odinga "is
a recipe to genocide."
Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has "strongly
deplored" the loss of human lives in Kenya.
"The secretary general calls on the political parties and leaders to
resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue and by making
full use of the existing legal mechanisms and procedures," he added.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour also expressed
her deep concern, calling on the government to abide by its
international human rights obligations in responding to
demonstrations. That includes holding police accountable for their
actions.
While recognising the challenges in maintaining order, she said,
security forces must use force only in proportion to the actual
threat faced.
The declaration of Kibaki as a second term president was followed by
charges of a rigged election, in which the initial lead was taken by
the opposition leader, Raila Odinga.
In the simultaneous parliamentary elections, Kibaki's ruling party
was trounced, including the electoral defeats of 20 outgoing cabinet
ministers and the country's vice president.
As of last count, Kibaki's party won only about 35 out of 210 seats,
compared with about 100 seats won by Odinga's Orange Democratic
Movement.
In a statement issued Wednesday, both the Kenya Human Rights
Commission and the International Federation of Human Rights said
that "massive differences in 49 constituencies between the total of
parliamentary and the presidential votes combined with the delay of
the official announcement of the results raise great concerns."
Protests of opposition supporters have been organised in all the
country's major cities, including Nairobi and Mombasa.
These protests, the statement said, are being bloodily repressed by
security forces in violation of the freedom of expression provision
of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified
by Kenya.
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