Kenya Orgs Decry Violence, Seek Dialog

By Prensa Latina

Nairobi : Kenyan civic organizations condemned the violence in the country and called for a negotiation process to reestablish order, disturbed after the December 27 presidential elections.


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Kenyans for Peace, Truth, and Justice – 20 human rights and attorney associations – presented a document Monday listing the three main causes that led to the recent uprisings that have caused more than 300 deaths.

The disorganized protests, once the final electoral results were announced, emergence of instigative militias, mostly in the Rift Valley area and reactivation of the Mungiki sect are given as the reasons for the disturbances.

They also included excessive use of police force.

The 11-point document claims the government, headed by President Mwai Kibaki, of Kikuyu origin, took advantage of the uprisings to deprive Kenyans of their fundamental rights, as freedom of speech, assembly and association.

It warns that if those measures continue so will the wave of violence.

The 20 Kenyan civilian society organizations called the unusual incidents during the electoral process “serious” and said the results are legitimate, thus allowing Kibaki to swear-in for his second term of office was illegal.

Trying to ease the tension, they demanded a negotiation process that prioritizes establishment of an interim electoral authority to review the entire electoral process and, depending on the results, to propose a recount of votes or new elections.

They are also demanding that the Electoral Commission resign and President Kibaki postpone appointing a new cabinet until the country returns to normalcy.

The plan for a government of national unity, announced by the president to get through the crisis, was rejected by opposition leader Raila Odinga, of Luo origin.

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