Kenya Stockholm Blog

New Independent Movement To Be Formed In Sweden

After the demonstration at the Kenyan Embassy yesterday, 15 Kenyans and friends converged at Wananchi Pavillion to chart the way forward in the on going anti-Kibaki struggle. The meeting was driven by the understanding that one demo outside the Embassy will not help on a long term. Those who attended the meeting were of the view that a long term strategy needs to be drawn as the anti-Kibaki struggle takes root.

A proposal was made to the effect that a Network ought to be formed in Sweden by Kenyans, friends and interested parties as part of the International movement currently in formation to address the rigging of elections in Kenya and the illegal installation of Mwai Kibaki as President.

The name “Movement for the Restoration of Democracy in Kenya (MRDK)” was proposed. It was agreed that another meeting would be held on Sunday 13th January at Wananchi Pavilion from 14.00 hrs to define details of the Movement. Those present proposed that the Movement would address itself to the political and humanitarian aspects of the crisis in Kenya. The initiative takers are independent Kenyans, friends and organizations and ODM-Scandinavia is participating in the process like any other interested party seeking a solution to the process.

At the meeting, it was made clear that the iniative must be “broad-based” and “all inclusive” with every interested party having equal say. The meeting tomorrow will address the fundamental framework, aims and objectives of the new Movement.

Because of limited time and on going mass action plans in Kenya, it was agreed that the setting up of the Movement would be speeded up. It was also agreed that membership to the group would be open to individuals, political parties, human rights groups, activists and others interested in action to address the crisis in Kenya.

The meeting agreed that more contacts would be made in the run up to the Sunday meeting and that membership in the new Movement would be left open.

Those who attended the meeting were: Hulda Palm, Ester, Beryl, Florence, Odera Tonny, Charles Otieno, Martin Ngatia, Elisha Ogembo, Dan Aroka, Chebet Keter, Joyce Kamugisha, Hellen Opwapo, Caroline Ayodo among others. Everybody who is interested in the initiative is welcome to the meeting.

Okoth Osewe

January 12, 2008 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment

The Agreement Kibaki Refused To Sign

Every Kenyan prayed that the mediation mission of OAU Chairman and Ghanaian President, H.E.John Kufuor, would succeed and bring to an end the electoral crisis that has torn our country apart. But Mr. Kibaki turned down the framework agreement that was presented to him at his last meeting with President Kufuor.

ODM was committed to this mediation process and had dropped all pre-conditions to facilitate the negotiation. We had also called off our planned rallies in order to create a conducive atmosphere for serious deliberations. But it is patently obvious that we do not have a partner to negotiate with.The government, on the other hand, largely undermined the Kufuor mission from the outset, with government ministers repeatedly saying no mediation was needed since there was no problem in the country.

Mr. Kibaki’s final slap in the face of the mission was his hurried appointment of the Cabinet just as President Kufuor’s plane landed. Mr. Kibaki has no interest in any mediated settlement since he knows the truth about the election outcome will be known.

In the interest of transparency and hopefully accountability, we present the framework agreement drawn up by two parties that Mr. Kibaki did not sign. Kenyans can determine for themselves whether it is Mr. Raila Odinga or Mr. Mwai Kibaki who stood in the way of a negotiated way out of the gravest crisis that our country has ever experienced.

Principles of Agreement

“His Excellency Hon Mwai Kibaki and Hon Raila Amolo Odinga, being committed to the maintenance of the rule of law and to sustenance of democratic governance in the Republic of Kenya,

AND BEING CONCERNED with the violence, the loss of lives and property following the pronouncement of the presidential election results, commit ourselves to a speedy resolution of the unfolding events to ensure that our great Nation returns to stability”.

Numerous issues have arisen in connection with the conduct of the Electoral Commission of Kenya including the tallying, compilation and declaration of the presidential election result. Voters on both sides feel aggrieved and concerned.

Numerous issues have arisen in connection with the conduct of the Electoral Commission of Kenya including the tallying, compilation and declaration of the presidential election result. Voters on both sides feel aggrieved and concerned.

We confirm our commitment to address all the issues arising from or connected to the presidential elections through a process  which:

1.

(i) shall be credible, independent and impartial,
(ii) shall not be subject to control by either party, and
(iii) whose findings and recommendations we agree to be bound by.

2. The issues to be determined through the process shall include:

(i) To inquire into the conduct of the ECK and the role of the observers in the conduct of the presidential elections including the declaration of results.
(ii) The composition of ECK and remedial action which may be undertaken to ensure its independence, impartiality, capacity and effectiveness in discharge of its constitutional and statutory mandate.
(iii) To identify measures that will help to restore and sustain voter confidence in Kenya’s electoral process.
(iv) To look into the circumstances leading to the declaration of presidential election results and determine whether it is necessary to carry out a rerun of the presidential elections, and if so, provide the time-frame and modalities of carrying out such elections
(v) To make recommendation on the structure of government pending the conduct of the presidential re-run or otherwise.
(vi) We agree that a credible process acceptable to all Kenyans will be carried out by a panel of eminent African persons.

The panel will make such recommendations as are necessary to resolve the issues and concerns arising from or connected to all the referred matters.

The panel shall make their findings and recommendations within 30 days of the date of execution of this agreement, which findings and recommendations shall be binding on both parties.

Pending resolution of the outstanding problems, all Kenyans should refrain from acts of violence and maintain law and order and all internal security agencies will be required to act in accordance with the law.

In the interim, there shall be a coalition government whose composition shall be agreed upon on the basis of equal representation both in numbers and portfolio with the prior approval and endorsement by the respective sides.The strategies and programmes of such government shall be subject to agreement of both sides.

We, the undersigned, solemnly undertake to procure Members of Parliament supporting our respective parties to enact such legislation, whether statutory or constitutional, as may be necessary to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations and of above matters if and where required.

To be signed by:

H.E. Hon Mwai Kibaki

Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga

Witnessed by:

H.E. Hon John Kufuor, President of Ghana and Chairman, African Union

AND ALSO by:

Adam Wood, British High Commissioner;
H.E. Mike Ranneberger, Ambassador, USA;
H.E. Elisabeth Barbier, French Ambassador and Local President, European Union

Advertisement by Raila Odinga Centre, Elgon Road, Nairobi

January 12, 2008 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment

ODM-Scandinavia Statement At Embassy Demo

We don’t want to go into the details of election rigging because the fact that Mr. Mwai Kibaki stole the Presidency is now a proven fact both at home and Internationally. Apart from bandit Yoweri Museveni who has been rigging elections repeatedly as he presides over a dictatorial government, no government in the world has recognized Kibaki’s regime. After rigging elections, Kibaki is in power illegally, presiding over a fake government which will have to be brought down by Kenyans and the International community if the democratic process which has taken Kenyans more than 44 years to harness is to be saved.

The rigging of elections has taken Kenya back to the days of Dictator Daniel arap Moi who used to walk away with rigged elections under his one Party dictatorship due to lack of political competition, authoritarianism and blatant use of brutal force through security forces.

In 1992 and 1997, Moi rigged elections because he took advantage of a divided opposition. He has been rigging elections throughout the 80s. Millions of Kenyans believed that when Moi was defeated in the December 2002 elections, the days of election rigging also ended.

The Orange Democratic Movement in Scandinavia (ODM-S) wishes to alert your illegal government that the struggle against the Kibaki dictatorship and the murderous home guards surrounding him has just began . Kenyans voted for change and this is why 19 Cabinet Ministers in Kibaki’s government (including the octogenarian Vice president Moody Awori) were all voted out of Office.

The violence and bloody ethnic cleansing being witnessed in Kenya today is a direct consequence of rigged elections by Kibaki and his cronies. The killing of innocent members of the Kikuyu and other communities by fellow Kenyans is an expression of a misplaced desire for revenge against injustice, oppression and stealing of the vote by a thieving cabal around Kibaki.

ODM-Scandinavia appeals to Kenyans who believe that they have to be violent to direct the violence against symbols of State power and authority, not against innocent civilians who are being victimized because of their ethnic origin. We wish to condemn the distortion of the crisis in Kenya by sections of the Western media which has reduced it to “ethnic cleansing” of one ethnic group.

The open rigging of elections by Septuagenarian Kibaki is linked to the raping of the “democratic process” in Kenya. The anger poured in the streets through violence and unspeakable destruction of property by marginalized youth who voted for change must be seen within the context of deprivation of Kenyans of the right to change their government through elections. 

The struggle that was set in motion after Kibaki stole the vote is a struggle against a corrupt and rotten Kikuyu ruling class and home guards, not against the masses of Kikuyu people who have been living and suffering side by side with other communities for many years.
 
The summery executions of unarmed civilians by Paramilitary General Service Unit (GSU) is a crime against humanity which Kibaki and members of his government will have to answer for in future regardless of how long it takes. So far, more than 600 Kenyans have lost their lives after thieving Kibaki stole the vote while more than quarter million Kenyans have been internally displaced following Kibaki’s illegal installation as President of Kenya.

Crude attempts to blame ODM or Raila Odinga is myopic because both the Party and the President elect have no control over sporadic violence across the country. If Kibaki did not rig elections, Kenya could have been engulfed in celebration as happened when Kibaki took power, not anarchy and chaos Kenyans are witnessing today.

ODM Scandinavia demands that both British and American Imperialism speak a clear language in the situation by telling Kibaki to step down. Although Britain has been moving cautiously along the lines of calling for a re-run of the Presidential vote after a lot of foot dragging, the United States is on the verge of becoming irrelevant in the situation with its line that Raila “talk to Kibaki” for some “power sharing deal”.

This is after the US quickly withdrew its congratulations to Kibaki after it noticed that it had adopted an isolated position. We take note that Jendayi Frazer, the American special envoy to Africa who was rushed to Kenya to “resolve the crisis”, has already lost influence in the eyes of many Kenyans because the American position of “talk to Kibaki” is not selling.

We wish to inform the US government that telling Raila to talk to Kibaki is like telling a person who has been robbed to talk to the robber for a sharing of stolen property. It is like “scratching a place that does not itch”! In the real world, business is not transacted like that and ODM Scandinavia wishes to alert the US government that it needs to change tact by putting pressure on Kibaki to resign if the Bush administration wants to retain respect among Kenyans who voted for change and transformation.

The US government is not on the side of the people and millions of Kenyans feel let down. US government should stop using opportunist language and impose a visa ban on Kibaki and all government officials as part of the struggle to bring Kibaki down. Kenyans voted for change and to tell them that Kibaki should be part of government is to deny them the change they voted for.

We are demonstrating outside the Kenyan embassy today to condemn the lives that have been lost since Kibaki stole the vote and to demand that Kibaki step down so that peace can return to Kenya. After the collapse of negotiations due to Kibaki’s intransigence, the only way open for ODM is Mass action, not just to make Kenya ungovernable but also to bring the regime down.

Kibaki and those surrounding him might think that he has the GSU, police and the army which it will unleash on the people of Kenya during mass action. Our answer is that you can beat an army but you can never beat a determined people.

Kibaki and his cronies have been warned. The National Democratic Revolution in our country continues and it will not be stopped by security forces.

Mr Martin Ngatia
Vice Chairperson
ODM-Scandinavia

January 12, 2008 Posted by makozewe | News & Analysis | Leave a Comment