The ethnic divisions in Kenya normally remain dormant until election time politics polarizes the population behind certain candidates. The Kenyan crisis of 2007-2008 followed a recurring pattern of tribal violence that has happened throughout the states recent history, and then brought it to a new plateau. The situation evolved from electoral results of December 28th 2007 that have been labeled ‘dubious' by domestic and foreign observers alike. The results favored a Kikuyu politician (Mwai Kibaki leader of the Party of National Unity) that would outrage the other ethnic factions in Kenya who had thrown their support behind Raila Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement.
[...] The electoral commission of Kenya, currently appointed by the President needs to be taken out of the Presidential jurisdiction and become an independent commission, and the same applies for the appointment of judges. Kenya has gone through a very destabilizing time and for now is in an interlude of relative calm, however without the proper actions from here on end it is entirely possible for the fragile state to fall back into the chaos it so recently escaped. In order to maintain short-term stability the power-sharing agreement needs to be put in place in an agreeable fashion to both parties until another election is able to occur. [...]
[...] If Kenya's infrastructure was more stable (or when it is in the future) and the recently created commission exploring electoral and human rights abuses links either of the politicians or members of their parties to illegal practices, then legal sanctions should occur. The land issue that has plagued Kenya since the end of colonial times is an issue that is hard to solve. While the Kenyan poor see it as a source of survival, it does not create wealth; to bring up land reform and redistribute it to other tribes would be an injustice to the Kikuyu landowners who are not truly that much better off than the other tribes[22]. [...]
[...] Jeffrey Gettleman, “Kenya Kikuyus, Long Dominant, Are Now Routed.” New York Times. “Call for Kenyan truth commission”, BBC News (Online) February 2008, Africa. 2007-2008 Kenyan Crisis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clashes_in_Kenya_%282007%E2%80%93present%29 (22 March, 2008). “State ‘sanctioned' Kenyan clashes”, BBC News (Online) March 2008, Africa. “State ‘sanctioned' Kenyan clashes”, BBC News. “Kenya parties ‘agree peace plan'”, BBC News (Online) February 2008, Africa. “Annan hits out at Kenya ‘abuses'”, BBC News (Online) January 2008, Africa. “Power-sharing: conflict or compromise”, BBC News (Online) March 2008, Africa. Jeffrey Gettleman, “Stalemate in Kenya Over Top Posts.” [...]
[...] Kibaki himself needs to understand that for the good of the country power will have to be given up to his partners in the coalition, as the paralysis of governance is the worst result Kenya could experience at this point in time. The personal conflict between Kibaki and Odinga must be put away and the two men must develop a working relationship as public servants to serve as a model for their respective political parties to follow. Currently Mwai Kibaki is holding a cabinet meeting in an attempt to reconcile the ODM's demands with his own political parties desires. [...]
[...] With the exit of Annan from Kenya the two parties have been left on their own to figure out the future. Presently the conflict over the deal is over the proper splitting of portfolios among the government. Mwai Kibaki is attempting to break the spirit of the agreement of creating an equal coalition by maintaining all the powerful ministries under PNU control[17]. The power-sharing deal was an attempt to avoid the paralysis of politics, but by attempting to ostracize one part of the coalition proper governance fails and the risk of plunging the country back into chaos escalates. [...]
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