By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa
NAIROBI, Kenya – Following a deadly weekend, which claimed the lives of at least 20 people in various parts of Kenya, parties from both sides met again today to resume peace efforts. Under the leadership of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, mediators for Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga met on Friday and agreed to a 4 point agenda to resolve the crisis.
The negotiations were met with a set-back. Chief mediator Cyril Ramaphosa, a South African business tycoon credited with negotiating the end of the Apartheid in South Africa in 1994, pulled out of the negotiations. Ramaphosa was chosen by Annan himself, but government complaints that he had business links to Odinga has led him to withdraw in order to maintain the negotiation momentum. Ramaphosa has denied such links to Odinga.
Even with this setback, Annan reports that the group dealt with Agenda Two, the humanitarian issues. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described Kenyan’s post election humanitarian state as “unprecedented.” More than a quarter million people have been displaced since the violence erupted and more than 900 people have died.
Tomorrow, the group intends to battle the key issue, the disputed December 27 re-election of Kibaki over Odinga that has triggered political and ethnic clashes. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), along with many countries from the West, insists the election was rigged but Kibaki claims he won the presidency fairly. Both sides have traded blame surrounding the violence accusing each other of planning and executing the post-election bloodshed.
Annan gave both parties 15 days to stop the violence. Yet, even as mediators agreed to peace, the violence continued. Several homes were set on fire along with three schools, Koiyet Primary, St Ann Academy, and Ribaita Primary School.
However, there are signs of improvement. In the small town of Sotik, gangs have agreed to disarm according to local parliament member, Lorna Loboso. Also the government has lifted the month long ban on live television broadcasting since the violence has eased and “security is better.”
For more information please see:
AllAfrica.com – Kenya: Talks to End Crisis Resume Amid Continuing Unrest – UN – 4 February 2008
Reuters: Africa – Kenya Rivals Return to Talks but Mediator Pulls Out – 4 February 2008
Yahoo News (AP) – Kenya Ends TV Ban, says Violence Easing – 4 February 2008
AllAfrica.com- Kenya: Hopes and Fears as Talks Enter Key Stage – 4 February 2008
