Hopes at last for the Kenyans

Feb.17, 2008

Hopes at last for the Kenyans


THE power-sharing deal in Kenya being brokered by former UN chief Kofi Annan appears to be the best solution for the violent crisis in the country that was considered as one of the most stable in Africa but where tribal feuds leading to denial of social justice always simmered below the surface.
Annan's effort has won backing from US President George W. Bush, who is sending his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Nairobi to boost the former UN secretary-general effort to find an end to the dispute over the Dec.27 elections that sparked violence in which more than 1,000 people have died.
Annan, who is cautiously optimistic that the job could be done, is seeking to address the roots of the problem by nudging the government of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to agree on reforms to improve the constitution, electoral laws and other areas of government. It is indeed a tough mission, given that the crisis is rooted in the long-running feud pitting Kibaki's tribe, the Kikuyu, and Odinga's Luo tribe and other ethnic groups which have been complaining of discrimination by the Kikuyu, which has dominated Kenyan politics and business since independence from Britain in 1963.
International experts are unanimous that while the dispute over the elections is clearly political — independent observers have accused the government of having rigged the polls —  the root cause of some of the violence is hunger for fertile land that is expressed ethnicity or tribe.
In the opinion of international experts, the whole conflict stems from long-running income inequalities in the country. As such, a political solution that is bound with economic reforms wih an impact on the daily life of the people of Kenya seems to be the best step forward.
Kenyans are waiting for results of Annan's mediation — which, if successful, would lead to the formation of a coalition government. A positive atmosphere seems to have taken hold, with police reporting no violent incidents over the past week.
Indeed, Bush's backing for Annan's efforts is backed by earlier warnings from the United States and Britain which have threatened visa bans, an assets freeze and other sanctions. That should be a sharp reminder to all parties involved that they would have a deeply troubled country in their hands regardless of whoever wins if they were to continue their violent power struggle.