By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenyans are eager to return to life before December 27, but Kenyan leader have yet to agree on a final resolution. President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga have agreed to a power sharing solution but the manner of that is still under debate. Even former UN boss Kofi Annan has expressed frustration at the slow progress, “I thought we could have moved much fast than we have.”

Returning back to normalcy will take years. It took only a few days to turn one of the most stable South African countries into a state of chaos. The post-election violence resulted in 1,000 dead, more than 600,000 displaced, extensive property damage, damage to the national image and economic structure, and the exposure of an ethnic resentment that may take years to repair.

Annan is hopeful that the parties will agree to a resolution soon. Both sides signed a 10-point preliminary agreement on Thursday to resolve their political crisis. Odinga and Kibaki agreed to an independent review committee, consisting of Kenyan and non-Kenyan experts, to investigate all aspects of the December 27 presidential election. The committee is expected to start work on March 15 and report their findings within three to six months. The agreement also calls for a new constitution. A rerun election and a court resolution has not been agreed upon.

At first, Odinga rejected all suggestions of a dual government and Kibaki insisted his position was non-negotiable. Now both parties have agreed to a power-sharing solution but are dead-lock as to the manner, whether through a prime minister post or another way.

Several Western diplomats have urged the power sharing resolution including the United States. US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is expected to accompany US President Bush on his trip to several countries in Africa. Rice will then travel to Kenya to back the mediation efforts.

Meanwhile, as the rival leaders slowly come to a solution, the violence continues. Although the looting, murder and arson has diminished, a less talked about violence continues: rape. Within three weeks after the December 27 election, 135 women and children, including a two-year-old child, was treated at Nairobi’s Women Hospital for a sexual assault. In the Mathare slum, Dr. Joseph Osoo treats up to 45 rape victims a day in his two-room clinic. It used to be one victim a week.

Most of the victims were gang raped, including one Kiyuyu woman who was raped in front of her 4-year-old son two hours after receiving a cell phone text message warning her of the impending assault. Many more rapes have likely been unreported, due to a lack of transportation. UNICEF reports that the escalating sexual violence will eventually show up in the country’s HIV statistic.

So as the leaders, talk, negotiate, and re-negotiate a resolution, women and children are used as a silent tactic against opposing ethnic groups in a crisis triggered by a disputed election.

For more information please see:

Yahoo News – Rape is Weapon in Kenya Violence – 13 February 2008

BBC- Bush to Send Top Envoy to Kenya – 14 February 2008

Yahoo News- Kenya Rival Agree to Review Election – 15 February 2008

Reuters: Africa – Annan: Kenya Rivals Closer to Agreement – 15 February 2008