Fred Mukinda
4 January 2008
Nairobi — The Government's plan for containing the violence which has hit parts of the country following the disputed presidential elections became clearer Thursday with President Kibaki announcing he was ready for dialogue, and Attorney-General Amos Wako hinting at a formula for power-sharing.
President Kibaki said he was ready for dialogue as soon as "the violence stops and calm is restored for people to engage in constructive and productive talks."
On his part, ODM leader Raila Odinga supported calls for dialogue. Mr Odinga made the remarks when he met South African Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu who arrived in Nairobi Thursday.
Mr Wako suggested that a way out can be found even without going to court. One of the ways to resolve the dispute, the AG said, is for a government of national unity to be formed.
Alternatively, an independent group agreeable to all sides could verify the presidential tallies, he said.
Mr Wako also warned that some of the crimes which had been committed border on genocide, - a crime punishable even through the international criminal justice system.
At the same time, three people died and a petrol station and five vehicles were set ablaze in Nairobi as groups of youths went on the rampage after police blocked an ODM rally called to protest against the results of the presidential election.
Groups of youths went on the rampage looting and burning property as they blocked sections of roads leading to Nairobi City centre.
President Kibaki, while addressing his first news conference since the violence started, assured Kenyans that the Government was doing everything possible to ensure security is maintained. Those who commit crime will face the full force of the law, said President Kibaki.
He promised to personally visit the affected areas soon to promote reconciliation and healing. Kenyans were free to settle and own property anywhere in the country, he added.
President Kibaki directed the Commissioner of Police to increase security hotlines for people to report any threats.
The President's statement was made on the day demonstrations were also held in parts of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu but these were largely peaceful. But in Kisumu, two MPs elect, Shakeel Shabir of Kisumu Town East and Olago Oluoch of Kisumu Town West all of ODM were being questioned by police after they addressed the protesting youths.
Police sources put the death toll from four days of violence at 185 while 155,711 people had been displaced. Majority of the displaced, 120,000 people, were reported to be in the Rift Valley where an operation to evacuate them to safer areas was under way.
Military escort
A convoy of 10 buses left Eldoret Town under military escort headed in the direction of Nakuru as police reported that 260 people had been arrested over the violence.
Calm returned to other major towns in Western Kenya such as Kakamega, Kisii, Bungoma and Busia even though police continued to patrol the streets.
The Electoral Commission of Kenya, meanwhile, gazetted the election of President Kibaki and 207 MPs. No gazettement of MPs was done for Kilgoris, Wajir North and Kamukunji where there were problems.
ODM leader Raila Odinga visited the Nairobi City Mortuary, Masaba hospital and Kibera slum, scene of some of the worst clashes between police and demonstrators. International mediation efforts gathered momentum with South African Anglican Bishop and Nobel prize laureate Desmond Tutu arriving in the country.
Archbishop Tutu held a two hour meeting with Mr Odinga and later said he was still trying to secure an appointment from President Kibaki's side.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, EU Foreign chief Javier Solana and American Democratic Party presidential hopeful Barack Obama whose father was Kenyan, called for dialogue among the rival camps.
On Thursday, the ODM leaders called off the rally they had planned for Uhuru Park and announced they would gather at the same venue Friday.
Police managed to keep crowds away from the park by blocking routes leading into the city centre.
Uhuru Park itself was a no go zone with officers from the paramilitary General Service Unit and Administration Police placing a human ring around the grounds. Other teams of riot control police battled groups of rowdy youths in slum areas, confining them there.
There was destruction as rowdy youths held protest marches on Juja, Thika, Ngong and Outerring roads.
Also, two men were beaten unconscious and another seriously injured during the violent demonstrations.
Survivors who sustained deep cuts on the head were driven to hospital in Red Cross and St John's ambulances after being saved by police.
Four fuel pumps were set on fire at the Agip petrol station on Juja road as well as four matatus and a car parked there.
City council Fire brigade rushed to the scene and fought the fire before it could spread and explode the under ground storage tanks. The protesters had lit the super, regular, diesel and kerosene fuel pumps.
Traffic was blocked for hours on Juja road before police managed to drive the protesters back to section 4A of the Mathare slums. The rowdy gangs had also lit huge fires and piled rocks on the road.
Across the valley, there were more skirmishes on Thika road as paramilitary police engaged a different group in running battles.
The group clashed with the officers near Survey area after being blocked from walking to the city centre.
A man was killed at the spot after he came into contact with a drooping live electricity line.
He was among protesters, who had tried to force entry into a nearby Standard Chartered Bank branch.
Police guards at the bank fired in the air to prevent the surging crowd.
Traffic flow along the highway was interrupted occasionally but it was not disrupted for more than 30 minutes.
Earlier at dawn, two bodies had been found in Mathare and Dandora areas. At 9 am, other groups from the Kibera slums engaged police in similar battles on Ngong road.
Ordered closure
Following the violence, police headquarters ordered closure of Mbagathi Way, Uhuru Highway and Kenyatta Avenue, though the Government had pledged all roads would remain open.
On Ngong road, police and the protesters clashed near the Prestige Plaza. Several kiosks on the roadside were destroyed.
Police pushed and managed to hold the crowd near the Kibera DO's office.
At 2pm, other groups converged on Argwings Kodhek road, 200 metres from Orange House, the ODM headquarters.
A Kobil petrol station was vandalised by the mob that started throwing stones after being confronted by the police.
Meanwhile, the donor community asked Kenyan leaders to put aside their differences and re-solve the impasse.
They said business had estimated that about Sh2 million per day was being lost.
In a joint statement World Bank, Canada, Denmark, the European Commission, France, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States warned that the gains made by Kenya in the last few years could dissipate due to the on-going destruction.
"At stake is the pre-election Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of seven percent, rising business confidence, increasing tourism, measurable progress in firm level productivity, significant gains in democratic development and the lifting of over two million Kenyans out of poverty over the last few years," said the statement.
The donor community said at the Nairobi Stock Exchange, Sh40 billion (about five percent of market capitalisation) was wiped off the value of shares when the market resumed business after the elections, hurting investors large and small.
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I am very unhappy with the developement in Kenya. This is most disturbing coming on the heels of the wide spread discontent of the out come of the election in Nigeria. in both cases the beneficiaries have acknowledged wild and wide spread irregularities, and my question is, why is it very difficult to have a SATISFACORY election in Africa? All this call for dialogue is a call by a THIEF for compro mise on the shearing formular of what he had stolen. This is unbelievable!If a thing was stolen let it be RETURNED. I dont believe in this useless dilogue that will see the THIEF still stealing tomorrow.
Amos Wako, being a judge should know how to bring about EQUAL RIGHT AND JUSTICE. We shouldnt waste our time on any unfruitful dialogue. The people know who they voted for, their verdict must be final without remedy.
CHIJIOKE CHIGOZIE NIGERIA
WHATS WRONG WITH YOUTHS?
I am a Malawian and i have been following the elections in Kenya and then the erupted violence. I really feel sad and strongly concerned. i ask myself this qustion: whats wrong with african leaders? why after an election in Africa we always hear of disputed results? is it because the potential leaders sees easy money in presidency? is it because we are poor?
And what is wrong with youths? the violence i see in Kenya is doominated by youths at every rioting place. Youths burning churches, throwing stones, ransacking shops. what is wrong with youths? Am also a youth but i believe we rae supposed to be the better informed. why do we always present ourselves as people who should lead riots instead of leading dialogue? this is a shame! People want to use us, people want to reapo gains behind our backs by saying we are the leaders of tommorrow. Let me challenge all youths spaerheading riots: Take a u- turn and spearhead dialogue. You will see if those leaders will continue asking for riots of disputed results. They call on riots knowing they are some misinformed youths who will lead the riots. But why Youths? Its high time let the world know that Youths are well informed and we stand for peace!!! Let us tell the leaders we lead no riots we lead dialogue!! I fear and cry for Kenya, once a haven for peace now its all chaos. Its time youths move out of the riot picture and everything will return to normal.
Chisomo Zileni, Malawi
First and foremost, it is gratifying to realize that South Africa in the person of Desmond Tutu has come to the rescue to prevent the situation from totally getting out of control. Africans all over and Kenyans in particular owe Bishop Desmond Tutu a debt of gratitute for calming down this volatile situation which televesion stations in North America were hinting that it could become another Rwanda genocide. There is no doubt this situation could have been avoided if President Kibaki had acted a bit more cautionsly and more statesmanly for the sake of keeping and maintaining peace in a country that he has proudly ruled for about four years and the progress of which should be dear to his heart. With the vote count so tight between the president and Odinga, it would have been prudent and statesmanly on the part of President Kibaki to have the counting reviewed to show to the world that the utmost has been done and that the process is fair. If this review had been done properly and if it showed that the position of the counts were still the same, the opposition leader and the world would respect the outcome. On the other hand, if the recount changed the situation, again the world would have seen that the process is fair and the President should be proud that he has ruled the country for four years, and whether he likes it or not, he cannot be the president of Kenya for ever and if he has to give it up now, he is doing it with pride. The speed or suddenness of the swearing in of the President following the results of the election was somewhat suspiciously unusual giving the impression that something was amiss. So, as an African not from Kenya, I think President Kibaki has to realize that a very serious mistake has been made on his part, and to restore his image and in the interest of the country he has to be conciliatory indeed. BOTH SIDES SHOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY WOULD NOT LIKE TO DESTROY THE COUNTRY SO DEAR TO THEM. Once more, many thanks to Bishop Desmond Tutu and South Africa-blessed are the genuine peace makers for they shall be called the sons of God.