Thursday, February 07, 2008
Shailja Patel interview
Shailja Patel interview on Africa Today with with host, Walter Turner, discussing the Kenyan election, the current crisis, the roadmap to peace, and what Americans can do. Visit:http://shailja.com/news/newsletterblog/2008/02/listen-to-me-on-africa-today.html
Museveni Didn’t Consult EAC Leaders - Kagame
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802070664.html
By Sulah Nuwamanya
Kigali
President Museveni should have consulted fellow East African Community leaders before embarking on a peace mission to Kenya recently, says Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.
President Kagame told the press during a monthly briefing in Kigali this week that such consultation among EAC leaders would have Museveni’s trip more productive as a collective approach.
MoreKenya official hails US travel ban
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_message/10935?data[source]=rss#m10935
Dennis Itumbi and Joy Kagwiria, AfricaNews reporters in Nairobi, Kenya
In a surprise move, the Kenyan government has welcomed the decision of the governments of the United States of America and Canada to impose travel bans for leaders involved in killings and has asked them to reveal their names to the public
MoreKenya: Kibaki sends advisors home
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_message/10934?data[source]=rss#m10934
Dennis Itumbi, AfricaNews reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
President Mwai Kibaki has disbanded his entire Strategic Advisory Unit based in State House, in a move aimed at underlining his focus and interest on the dialogue talks chaired by the African Eminent persons led by former United Nations boss Kofi Annan.
MoreWe’re Not Party to IPPG Deal, Kivuitu Declares
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802070995.html
The East African Standard (Nairobi)
8 February 2008
Posted to the web 7 February 2008
Judy Ogutu
Nairobi
The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has disassociated itself from the Inter-Party Parliamentary Group agreement (IPPG).
Commission chairman, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, declared on Thursday that ECK was not party to the 1997 pact among parliamentary political parties.
More
PNU accepts inquiry into Poll
http://allafrica.com/stories/200802070958.html
Tabu Butagira, Mercy Nalugo & Agnes Nandutu
Kampala
THE Kenyan government has invited international bodies to independently investigate the ongoing bloodletting in the country and ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted for “crimes against humanity”.
MoreODM alarmed over alleged order of Chinese arms
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=116357
Story by PATRICK NZIOKA
Publication Date: 2/8/2008
The Orange Democratic Movement has expressed concern that the Government has placed a tender with a Chinese company for the supply of an unspecified number of firearms, ammunition and spares, saying the timing was not right.
The party’s secretary general Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o alleged that some of the firearms might fall in the wrong hands and be used to kill Kenyans engaged in protests over the disputed presidential poll.
MoreHistory looms behind crisis
Although they are from different tribes, Peter and Sospeter have much in common: they do the same job, are roughly the same age and practically share the same first name. Now Kenya’s ethnic clashes have landed the two men—one a Kikuyu of the tribe of President Mwai Kibaki, the other a Luo like opposition leader Raila Odinga—in hospital. There, thanks to a shortage of space in the midst of a flood of violent injuries, they share the same bed. Sospeter Odipo, a Luo, said he doesn’t mind sharing a bed with fellow flower-farmer Peter Ndungu, a Kikuyu, but he says he can no longer live alongside Kikuyus. He plans to return to Kisumu in his western tribal homeland. Outside the hospital gates, their communities fire arrows and chuck rocks at each other in the latest post-poll clash.
MoreStrategic highway to west reopens
Normal transportation of goods and people to the west of Kenya resumed last week after days of disruption along the highway from Nairobi to west of the country and Uganda. Armed police cleared the highway of barricades erected by marauding youths in the ongoing post election violence that many people say has now taken a life of it’s own. Cargo trucks and buses destined for the region and neighbouring countries of Uganda and Rwanda could be seen moving in lengthy convoys, Thursday evening and Friday morning.
European Parliament resolution of 17 January 2008 on Kenya
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the preliminary statement of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Kenya of 1 January 2008,
– having regard to the Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union concerning the African Union mediation efforts in Kenya of 11 January 2008,
– having regard to the African Charter of Human and Peoples’ Rights, 1981, and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, 2007,
– having regard to the African Union Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, 2002,
– having regard to the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers, commemorated at the United Nations on 27 October 2005,
– having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the members of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, of the one part, and the European Community and its Member States, of the other part, signed in Cotonou on 23 June 2000 (the Cotonou Agreement) and amended in Luxembourg on 25 June 2005, in particular Articles 8 and 9 thereof,
– having regard to Rule 103(4) of its Rules of Procedure,
Teenage girls targeted for sexual exploitation
Teenage girls fleeing their homes to escape post-election skirmishes and finding temporary shelter at the Nakuru Showground now face another threat. They have become prey to men who exploit them sexually as well as those seeking cheap labour. In a shocking revelation this week, the girls, aged between 12 and 18 said they had become victims of child labour and sexual abuse. Humanitarian organisations, whose hands are full in providing food and shelter, now have another situation in their hands — to protect the vulnerable groups from exploitation.
Turmoil throws higher education into disarray
Higher education is facing one of its worst crisis ever following a delay in re-opening public universities and tertiary colleges in the wake of post-election violence. The delay is expected to put the institutions on condensed programme modules similar to those of the late 1980s, which could compromise the quality of education. In the wake of the prolonged post-election mayhem, a month of the semester has been lost, bringing closer the reality of a syllabus crisis.
Of the seven public universities, only Kenyatta and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology have resumed normal operations. Higher education sector regulator —the Commission for Higher Education — said some universities would have to deal with bigger challenges once they re-open, the biggest of which would be how to handle the supply of essential commodities as well as staff and student transfers.
US slaps travel ban on MPs
Ten MPs are among prominent people facing an imminent travel ban to the United States following the country’s post-election political crisis. The US accuses these people of being behind the violence in which nearly 1,000 people have been killed and more than 350,000 others have been displaced. And Wednesday, America’s northern neighbour, Canada, followed suit by stating that it would also write demand letters to the same individuals with a view to blocking them from stepping on its soil. US ambassador Michael Ranneberger Wednesday confirmed the drastic step, stating his country “decided to apply our travel restrictions on individuals who we believe participated in the instigation of violence, violation of human rights and breaking of democratic practices”.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Human rights defenders victims of death threats and intimidation
The human rights defenders and pro-democracy activists named herein have received a number of anonymous threats, including death threats, in the last two weeks. As a result, they have had to take precautions for their safety such as moving from their house, or not making public statements, after receiving anonymous SMS messages, telephone calls and emails threatening them.
These threats are in response to statements or actions by those named above about the results of the Kenyan General Election held on 27 December 2007, or about human rights abuses that have occurred during the violence that has followed the elections. The results of the election are contested, and have resulted in significant political conflict in Kenya that has become divided on ethnic lines. The Kikuyu ethnic group are largely perceived to have supported President Kibaki while the Luo and Kalenjin ethnic groups in Kenya, are thought to have supported the opposition candidate, Raila Odinga.
Annan’s hotel room ‘bugged’
The Kenyan peace talks are in tatters after it was discovered that Kofi Annan’s hotel room in Nairobi has been bugged. Independent Newspapers has learnt from multiple reliable, impartial sources - both in Kenya and abroad - that the former UN Secretary General’s business and personal conversations were being intercepted during the ongoing negotiations after a thorough search was carried out on his Serena Hotel room on Tuesday evening. For how long the room has been planted or by whom is unclear. “Kofi’s security aides found the device yesterday,” one source explained, while the talks were in session. Annan is said to be “livid”, but it is not yet known how he intends to act on Tuesday night’s revelations or whether he will walk away from the already troubled negotiations.