Thursday, February 28, 2008
“It Will Not Be Machetes and Arrows Any More, But Firearms”
Political analyst Kwamchetsi Makhokha has warned that failure of talks to address Kenya’s political crisis could prove explosive. The East African country is trying to resolve a disputed presidential election that has already cost more than 1,000 lives—and displaced up to 600,000 people. “It will not be machetes and arrows any more, but firearms. Intelligence reports show that people are seriously arming youths in readiness for war. The next phase will be total breakdown of law and order,” he told IPS. “We have seen this happen...Protagonists refuse to negotiate or sign a peace deal to solve a contentious political issue, or ignore gaping social problems...and then it blows up in your face,” added Makhokha, who is based in the capital, Nairobi. His comments come in the wake of talks being put on hold earlier this week.