Conflict Database Kenya
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Origin of the conflict In 2007 intense violence broke out in Kenya, after the presidential elections were believed to be rigged in favor of president Kibaki. In two months time over a thousand people were killed and another half million were displaced from their homes. The violence appeared to be a direct, spontaneous result of the fraud. However, reports show it was not entirely spontaneous, but planned and organized. Local leaders prepared their supporters for action, preparing them tot take up arms in case of a loss at the election. Political uprise turned into ethnic violence, because in Kenya political lines are drawn along ethnic lines. Politics blur into ethnics and old grievances are stirred up in hate speech. The elections in 2007, the chaotic nature of the count and the suspicious win of president Kibaki sparked ethno-political grievances that are decades old and revolve around land allocation, power, poverty and corruption. Chronological time frame 1920-1963: British colonization of Kenya. Parts of the land (good agricultural spots) are seized and allocated to British farmers. 1964: Kenya becomes independent. The seized land is handed back to the government of Kenya, led by president Kenyatta. The government takes the land as private property and sells and donates it to political supporters, to solidify their political support. Most of it falls into the hands of people of Kenyatta's own ethnic group, the Kikuyu, even though most land was used by other ethnic groups before the British seize. 1964-2002: Kenyatta's, and later Arap Moi's, rule is feeding ethnic tensions as more power and more land are consolidated by Kikuyu. Impunity and corruption run rife. Politics is run along ethnic lines. 2002: Mwai Kibaki, leader of the Party of National Unity (PNU), is chosen as president of Kenya. Focal point in the campaign is to address and resolve land issues. Still a Kikuyu-dominated government, Kibaki fails to deliver on his promises. 2007: Leading up to the presidential elections both government and opposition use ethnic rhetoric in their political speeches. Instead of a political battle between the ruling PNU and the oppositional ODM (Orange Democratic Movement), politics blur into the manipulation ethnic grievances. The air between Kikuyu and non-Kikuyu becomes charged. Several local leaders start preparing for violence. In several places violent acts are committed preceding the elections. 27 December 2007: Presidential and parliamentary elections. Observers note fraud in both camps. Opposition party ODM gains a landslide victory in parliament, but its large advantage in the presidential race becomes increasingly smaller during the counting. In the official results, Kibaki ends with a marginal majority and is hastily sworn in as president on December 30th. December / January 2007: Right after the elections chaos and confusion hit the streets. The media is silent and rumors are flying around. Having been prepared to take up arms, violence breaks out. Violence becomes ethnic as Kikuyu are targeted, presumed to be PNU supporters. In response some Kikuyu retaliate, targeting other ethnic groups, presumed to be oppositional. Police in the meantime use excessive force, further exacerbating the tense situation. February 2008: A power-sharing construction is agreed upon and violence ceases. November 2009: International Criminal Court (ICC) starts an investigation into the violence of 2007. March 2011: Six high ranking officials are charged by ICC on varying accounts of contributing to or conspiring to murder, rape, forcible transfer of population, persecution among others. Of the six, four are members of the current government.
Involved actors President Kibaki: Current President of Kenya, leader of the PNU party. Allegedly rigged the presidential elections in his own favor. Raila Odinga: Current prime minister of Kenya, leader of the oppositional party ODM.
Local political leaders: It remains unclear how much Kibaki and Odinga knew about the organization and planning of violence. However, local leaders from both camps have been accused of polarizing society by manipulating ethnic grievances and using hate-speech in the months leading up to the elections. They are seen to be preparing supporters to take action in case of a loss at the ballot box.
Supporters of PNU and ODM / general population: Opposition supporters target the supporters of PNU, this equates into chaotic violence between Kikuyu (supposedly all PNU supporters) and other ethnic groups. Grievances over land allocation, power, corruption and poverty surface in the aftermath of the elections and spark intense violence.
Reaction of the international community When violence broke out in Kenya, the international community seemed stunned. Kenya is a stable country in the otherwise volatile Great Lakes region and has a major tourist industry. Kenya has also been an ally in several peace negotiations. International organizations, such as the United Nations and the African Union, applied diplomatic pressure on Kenya to stop the violence and respect human rights. Mediation processes of these organizations led to the power-sharing deal between Kibaki and Odinga. The ICC launched a formal investigation and recognizes planning and organization in the post-election violence. Six high ranking suspects will be prosecuted in The Hague, starting September 2011.
Sources Website of the International Criminal Court (ICC): Human Rights Watch report (March 08) “Ballots to Bullets: Organized Political Violence and Kenya's Crisis of Governance” Website of BBC news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11996652 Additional sources found at: |
