News Roundup 19 January
VP says Kibaki ready to meet with opposition
Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka has said that President Kibaki is ready to meet and discuss the present political situation with the opposition.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114983
Kibera women in campaign to restore peace
Some residents of Kibera, the Nairobi slum hit hard by violence since the announcement of the controversial presidential election,
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114984
It’s relief as calm is restored
The country seemed to sigh with relief as calm returned to major towns yesterday after ODM suspended country-wide protests.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114985
Raiders kill six as they besiege monastery
Six people were killed near a monastery in Kipkelion District that was last night besieged by armed youths.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114986
More on how the Kenyan election was stolen
Four Kenyan election observers who witnessed the last phase of the presidential vote tallying, when political parties were verifying the results that had been announced, have recorded their observations in an hour-by-hour log. Their testimonies expose what can only be termed a resolve among electoral officials—including Commissioners and staff—to obtain a pre-determined outcome, whether supported by fact or not. Kenyans for Peace with Justice have released a series of documents that record how the election was stolen. This is a minute by minute account of what happened over those two fateful days.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/more-on-how-the-election-was-stolen/
Five refugees die in Kenya attack
Five people are killed in what appears to be ethnic violence in western Kenya linked to last month’s disputed elections.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/africa/7198330.stm
Policeman Shot With Poisoned Arrow
An administration police officer was Friday shot with a poisoned arrow and later succumbed to his injuries in Kapsita area within Molo District.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190074.html
Kalonzo Team Can’t Resolve Election Crisis
President Kibaki Friday named a committee of nine, most of them Cabinet ministers, on an assignment related to the political crisis that followed the General Election.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190073.html
Protesters Destroy Railway Line
It took hundreds of them pushing and pulling with their bare hands, but the rail line finally yielded.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190072.html
Kenya: Opposition Turns to Boycott Tactics
The Orange Democratic Movement Friday ended its three days of mass action and announced a new strategy of economic boycott to protest against the outcome of the disputed presidential election.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190010.html
Kenya: Poll Violence Death Toll At 510, Say Police
Police Friday gave the death toll from three weeks of violence over the disputed presidential elections at 510 people.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190011.html
Kenya: Increasing Violence On Streets, Says UN
The United Nations reported more violence today in Kenya where opposition supporters took to the streets for a third day to protest last month’s disputed elections.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190008.html
Kenya: Policeman Shot With Poisoned Arrow
An administration police officer was Friday shot with a poisoned arrow and later succumbed to his injuries in Kapsita area within Molo District.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190074.html
Kenya: Kalonzo Team Can’t Resolve Election Crisis
President Kibaki Friday named a committee of nine, most of them Cabinet ministers, on an assignment related to the political crisis that followed the General Election.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190073.html
Kenya: Protesters Destroy Railway Line
It took hundreds of them pushing and pulling with their bare hands, but the rail line finally yielded.Indiscriminate police fire
on unarmed protestors in Kenya, finally captured on video. In the last three days,
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190072.html
The Man In Black
has become, for Kenya, something akin to the student at Tiannamen Square. The most graphic and unforgettable symbol we could have of the brutal consequences of state repression.
http://shailja.com/news/newsletterblog/2008/01/indiscriminate-police-fire.html
Kenyan opposition changes tactics
Opposition to boycott firms allied to President Kibaki and hold strikes.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EF55B338-75BC-41D4-B8F9-6D1A540F5366.htm
Opposition Turns to Boycott Tactics
The Orange Democratic Movement Friday ended its three days of mass action and announced a new strategy of economic boycott to protest against the outcome of the disputed presidential election.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190010.html
Okiya Omtatah Okoiti’s non-violent action
Renowned African poet, playwriter, novelist, author, writer and human rights activist Okiya Omtatah Okoiti on January 17, 2007 had chained himself to the fence of police headquarters, Nairobi to protest the killing of unarmed civilians in Kisumu by the Kenya police. The killing of two youths was captured on video and televised on national television. The police are suppressing any form of demonstrations protesting the rigged presidential election that saw Mwai Kibaki declared the winner by ECK Chairman.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/okiya-omtatah-okoitis-non-violent-action/
Kenya Relief Fund
Friends United Meeting has established a “Kenya Relief Fund.” Unrestricted gifts to this fund are vital at this time, as they can be allocated where they are most needed. Give generously to FUM’s “Kenya Relief Fund.” Be sure to earmark your gift for this purpose.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/kenya-relief-fund/
“Massacre” in Kibera - Medecins san Frontieres
“We have seen violence over the last two weeks but today it has really exploded. Young guys — 13 years — have died, young women, young men, this is unbelievable … this is like a massacre.” Police Spokesman says police are using live bullets because of a shortage of rubber ones!
NAIROBI (Reuters) - At least 13 people were killed in Kenya on Friday when police opened fire in a Nairobi slum and ethnic groups clashed during protests against the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/massacre-in-kibera-medecins-san-frontieres/
More Church Leaders Back Unity Talks
Church leaders have restated their readiness to mediate in the current political standoff to prevent further bloodshed.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180924.html
Why Govt Downplayed Reports of Looming Kenya Election Crisis
THE Ugandan leadership ignored intelligence reports that the Kenyan elections would ignite violence and compromise Uganda’s national security for fear of harming relations with the eastern neighbour.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180918.html
Raila Odinga’s Orange Revolution
He speaks softly; his sentences tend to taper off toward the end, like somebody short of breath. He bears a fleeting resemblance with the late Ugandan poet, Okot p’Bitek. If there were people who did not know this man, we now all know who he is, thanks to queues for fuel that came at short notice and were felt right up to Burundi.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180916.html
Cycles of revenge
Here is a report on how Luos in Limuru have been targeted by Kikuyu since Kikuyus were displaced in the Rift Valley. Many have fled to Limuru and are exacting revenge on Luos. “It’s because of the Kikuyus from Rift Valley who have fled [post-election violence]. Many have come this way. So they [Kikuyus in Limuru] now have a reason to attack us [Luos]. They are like, ‘let them go because our people are suffering there [in Rift Valley]’
TIGONI, 11 January 2008 (IRIN) - Susan Ouma sat on the wooden frame of her sofa, smiling down at her three-week-old daughter, Mary Akinyi, tightly wrapped in an orange blanket despite the blazing January sun.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/19/cycles-of-revenge/
Increasing Violence On Streets, Says UN
The United Nations reported more violence today in Kenya where opposition supporters took to the streets for a third day to protest last month’s disputed elections.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801190008.html
Kenyan police arrest three Europeans
Two German nationals and a Dutch woman filmmaker were arrested by Kenyan police on suspicions related to terrorism, a police spokesperson said on Friday in Nairobi. The German Foreign Ministry in Berlin identified one of those held as Andrej Hermlin, a Berlin jazz musician.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleid=330079
Combative Balloting for Speaker
After weeks of the opposition accusing the government of rigging the Dec. 27 presidential elections in favour of the incumbent Mwai Kibaki, the two sides met Tuesday in the House to choose a speaker to steer the business of Kenya’s tenth parliament.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180959.html
Five Dead in Narok After Violent Protest
Five people were killed and many others injured as violence rocked Narok town.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180922.html
Kenya: Combative Balloting for Speaker
After weeks of the opposition accusing the government of rigging the Dec. 27 presidential elections in favour of the incumbent Mwai Kibaki, the two sides met Tuesday in the House to choose a speaker to steer the business of Kenya’s tenth parliament.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180959.html
Kenya: All the major faith leaders plead with politicians for peace and dialogue
Faith leaders of all denominations are helping to solve the political crisis in Kenya by exhorting politicians to care for their people, not for themselves, and to give discussion in the parliament a chance to end the political crisis. The bishop of Nakuru, in whose diocese there was much rioting, is pleading for peace and dialogue. And an alliance of religious organizations says the rejection of presidential election results has further aggravated the violence. B.T.
http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=17000
News: “If they can kill a little girl let them kill us all.”
By Nick Tattersall and Barry Moody
NAIROBI, Jan 18 (Reuters) - At least 13 people were killed in Kenya on Friday when police opened fire in a Nairobi slum and ethnic groups clashed during protests against the disputed re-election of President Mwai Kibaki.
The worst bloodshed was in the huge Kibera shanty town, an opposition stronghold, where [...]
http://www.publiceyesite.org/blog/?p=1611
News: Kenyan opposition leader threatens to call general strike
By Steve Bloomfield in Nairobi
Published: 18 January 2008
Kenya is bracing itself for another week of protests and unrest after the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, vowed to increase the pressure on Mwai Kibaki’s embattled government with a general strike and boycott of some of Kenya’s largest companies. The death toll from the country’s post-election violence rose yesterday [...]
http://www.publiceyesite.org/blog/?p=1610
Rumours Persist On Ugandan Soldiers
Rumours that Ugandan soldiers are in Kenya persist.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200801180927.html
Relative calm returns after clashes
[MOBILE VIDEO] Calm has returned to the city centre of Nairobi after police dispersed demonstrators who were protesting against the controversial December 27th poll that saw Mwai Kibaki re-elected as the president
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/AfricaNewsUpdate/~3/219156252/10306
Why PNU and allies lost House election to their ODM rivals
After losing to the Opposition in the election of the National Assembly Speaker and his deputy
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114890
New Speaker must offer the country a lifeline
The country was enthralled by the recent election of Mr Kenneth Marende as Speaker of the National Assembly, and the subsequent swearing in of MPs.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114891
Raila party to control North Rift councils
The Orange Democratic Movement is set to control most of the local authorities in the North Rift region following its good performance in the just concluded General Election.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114926
PNU bags Mt Kenya civic seats
President Kibakis Party of National Unity dominated the civic seats in the December 27 General Election in Mt Kenya region.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114927
Orange group and PNU to fight for control of civic authorities
The next political fight between the Orange Democratic Movement and the Party of National Unity will be over control of close to 200 local authorities countrywide.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114928
Orange party leads in Western Kenya
The Orange Democratic Movement is poised to sway decisions in its favour in local authorities in Nyanza and Western provinces.
http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=114929
Justice be our shield and defender
“My father was shot as he stood in front of our house. The police were shooting indiscriminately, targeting anyone on sight. My father was shot in the stomach,” witness Alphonse Otieno said today by phone from Kisumu’s Kondele slum. Proof that Kenyan GSU are using live rounds to kill demonstrators. A Kisumu demonstrator is shot dead in cold blood in Kondole, another is kicked brutally when he is down and dying. They are being hunted down as this video shows.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/demonstrator-shot-in-the-back/
More details on Eldoret militias
Rights official alleges politicians on both sides paid, directed militias
Associated Press: Kenyan police patrol the Nairobi slum of Mathare, where clashes broke out recently amid a presidential vote-count dispute. A report on the violence is scheduled to be released this week. NAIROBI, Kenya — The price for burning down a home: 500 shillings, or about $8. Double that to have someone hacked to death.
http://kenyanemergency.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/more-details-on-eldoret-militias/
Next entry: to live is to work
Previous entry: News Roundup 18 January