Good commentary on the situation Kenyans are experiencing right now. It is the most balanced I have seen of any Western writer. The EU is openely biased and their backing of Raila is unmistakable.

Eventually roles played by Dick Morris and Raila's attempt to follow the Ukaraine's example deserves examination. Not to mention the impact of the Kenya/China relationship on the European govts sentiments. Britain cannot pass for a neutral observer. During Kibaki's rule they have lost lots of business contracts they used to think would always belong to them. Open and competitive tendering process have led Toyota to be the supplier of choice for the Kenyan Police! This process has been folled elsewhere with similar results.

Most of the international journalists have conveniently assumed the Kikuyu were calling the shots during the 24 years of Moi's rule. Far from that, Moi devastated their businesses left and right. Not to mention the grossly unqualified people he put in areas of great responsibilities that led to the demise of significant number of govt parastatal bodies and elsewhere!

We do need significant reforms in Kenya. A new constitution that curbs the powers of a president, among other things, is a must. But we cannot afford a level of decentralization that will lead to excessive administration costs. A workable balance must be found. We also need laws that would discourage sufficiently ethnic bashing as a campign strategy. Phrases like it is the Kikuyu against 41 tribes should not be coming from the mouth of one who wants to lead the entire country. If Raila had been declared the winner, a civil war would have sprung up within a year or less. What with the Kikuyu stole so that we do not have to them pay apartment rents. Kikuyu stole so that we can take away their businesses and property! All these was a recipe for disaster.

Thanks, Wanjohi

I think the big question is who actually won the election - all the evidence points to the fact that Raila won and Kibaki rigged his way back to power. This is a serious issue which needs to be addressed - why should Kenyans bother to vote if someone can come along and insert inflated figures and overturn the results? Personally I dont care who/which tribe won the election but I do care that the will of the people be followed and democracy be protected.

Tom

Prof.

Please do more research on Kenya's politics. It is much more than Luo-Kikuyu rivalry. The average citizen has sufferd in the hands of Kenyan's elites since independence. Kenya is a country where wildlife has more rights than human beings. Marginalized people from all comunities have suffered a great deal. The war in Kenya is socio-economic, but the priviledged political class want us to believe it is ethnic to maintain their status quo in elections.

Raila, managed to rally most marginalized groups to vote for him, unfortunately Kibaki's government via ECK tampered with their election in their favor. He is wrong for cheated Kenyan's to demand for their rights via their leader Raila?

Solution is for justice to prevail so that democracy is realized in the long run.If not, then we do not need to vote in Kenya for the ballot will never decide the democratically elected leader in a free and fair election.

Jaja Yogo

Kibaki theft of the elections is an affront to democracy and civilization. However, I am fearful not at Kibaki but at the hand of Western democracies in this event. Right from the begining instead of UK and US calling for Kibaki to be immediately isolated and pressured to vacant the presidency, they hastened to call for Raila to accept the government of national unity. Everyone knows that Kibaki and his henchmen are too corrupt with self-centred agendas. That's why a lot more of his point men and women were shown the door. It seems that Kibaki is now a Musharaf, Mubarak, Zenawi and Museveni. These are dictators proped and maintained by the Western nations for their own interests.

Is this a case of neo-colonialism? Where is the talk of democracy, rule of law, and human rights? What is the value of elections and one's vote? Not too long Col Gadaffi righly pointed out that democracy is a means where the few political elites ride on the backs of the majority like donkeys. That UNDP and World Bank are supposedly backing Kibaki as being good for western business is very worrisome. Raila and new leaders must look elsewhere for solution for its clear the western power brokers and institions have picked sides and the lose of human life and blood can never move them. Huh!, talk of double tongue, hypocrisy and exploitation.

Kibaki must respect the peoples wishes. He can beat everyone down but he can never stop the birth of a revolution. Kikuyus are entrenched tribalists drunken with political and economic power. Going by the patterns of electoral victories for Raila, Kenya is no longer tribal focused by is keen to bring change and development. This may now not happen as no one is interested in keeping real pressure on Emillio.