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Kenya: Most Citizens Optimistic Accord Will Bring Peace
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
25 March 2008
Posted to the web 24 March 2008
Elizabeth Mwai And Amos Kareithi
Nairobi
Majority of Kenyans are optimistic that the Annan accord will restore peace.
A new poll shows that 90 per cent of Kenyans are confident that the deal will lead to a peaceful Kenya.
Only two per cent are skeptical while eight per cent did not want to comment.
"Kenyans are optimistic that the peace deal will stand the test of time," the pollster shows. The research, conducted by Strategic Public Relations and Research Limited, shows that 47 per cent of Kenyans believe that the power-sharing deal between President Kibaki and ODM leader, Mr Raila Odinga, will make them work together as a team.
About 35 per cent of the population thinks the deal will serve as means to achieve peace following post-election violence while eight per cent are satisfied with the fact that a deal was struck.
However, the study shows that 42 per cent of the public reckons that the leaders are likely to fight.
It shows that 25 per cent of the population considers it impossible for two leaders to rule the country.
Another 25 per cent interprets the Annan peace accord as a means to fuel tribalism while eight per cent say the Constitution does not allow for a coalition.
More than 70 per cent say they are satisfied with the outcome of the peace treaty while less than 20 per cent are not happy.
About 42 per cent of the population is of the opinion that there cannot exist two centres of power.
The study shows that 26 per cent of the public is of the opinion that the deal will create uncertainty while 10 per cent says it will pave way for hypocrisy.
Another seven per cent thinks Annan forced the deal on the Government while five per cent thinks it came too late.
However, 57 per cent are happy with the Annan accord as they reckon it will bring peace.
The opinion poll findings show that 15 per cent of Kenyans are pleased that there will be power-sharing, 13 per cent perceive the deal as returning the country to normalcy and nine per cent Kenyans associate it with unity. Four per cent say it will restore harmony.
"The satisfaction with the peace accord is mainly driven by the fact that peace will be restored and Executive powers shared by different stakeholders," the opinion poll says.
And the proposed Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission should investigate all historical injustices committed against Kenyans by successive governments since the era of the nation's founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.
The survey showed that 31 per cent of the respondents felt that the commission should go back to the era immediately after independence.
But 18 per cent of those interviewed felt that the commission should only concentrate on the periods dating back ten years, when President Moi was in power.
Another 18 per cent feels the commission should only investigate the injustices committed during President Kibaki's time.
Five per cent of respondents want the commission to delve into the injustices dating back to the colonial era.
The respondents were, however, unanimous that the commission should be established with close to 70 per cent supporting the idea and less than 20 per cent objecting.
So as to avoid a repeat of the debacle, 32 per cent of respondents proposed the establishment of an independent and reformed Electoral Commission of Kenya.
Only nine per cent felt there was need for a Constitution change while another nine per cent were of the opinion there should be proper planning and organisation in the Government.
Other safeguards that did not rate highly among the respondents were Government's beefing up of security (seven per cent) and curbing of tribalism (six per cent).
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Although more than 1,000 people died as a result of post election violence, only six per cent of the respondents feel that the perpetrators should be prosecuted.
Five per cent felt the Government should settle land issues, which has been seen as one of the injustices leading to animosity and ethnic tension.
The survey further comes with a startling finding that only four per cent support the formation of a strong coalition Government.
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| Copyright © 2008 The East African Standard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections -- or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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