open Democracy News Analysis - Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it, Wanyama Masinde - Comments

Udongo on "Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it"

Udongo — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:13:14 +0000

It must be said that - land must be part and parcel of the bigger and long tern solution. Historical injustices were part of the fuel to this crisis. Politics was just the spark.

belindat on "Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it"

belindat — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 02:27:19 +0000

Perhaps a key question is who has the guts in kenyan politics and civil life in general to address the ethnic based resource funding that has for so long gone unchecked from the time of Kenyatta and Moi to Kibaki.

The violence in cities in the west like Kisumu are not about a disputed election, they are about poor young unemployed men who saw the inability of Kibaki to give up power as another boot in the face from a corrupt elite that has overwelmingly supported (through economic and social services ect) their own ethnic constituency over areas like Nyanza province-an opposition stronghold since independence. The lack of development, governemnt resources for social services, hospitals, schools in the west has been a joke. I would argue there has been something close to a systematic policy to 'keep a lid' on such a fervently strong 'opposition area'. This is of course no excuse for the carnage that has ensued but without addressing the lethal mix of poverty and politics Kenyans i fear will just reintrench themself further into their own ethnic communities.

abuelita42pj on "Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it"

abuelita42pj — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:30:59 +0000

Who is going to listen to the above questions and then find PRAGMATC answers to suit at least a majority?? The poor aren't listening to anyone except their guns and machetes. They yelled the same threats at the camera of BBC yesterday who was trying to illustrate their anger and the total mess that Kibaki's tribe has made and what the various tribes without school, jobs, health care and decent housing didn't have even before. Kibaki merely used his police to get them away from his government home and then closed the gates. From what little I've seen and read elsewhere he's just going to let them decimate each other's group until they give up. A real leader!!!!

Kenya’s trauma, and how to end it, Wanyama Masinde

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:44:39 +0000

The crisis of violence and disorder in Kenya since the election of 27 December 2007 poses hard questions to members of the country's political class of all parties and ethnicities. It also raises the issue of what can and should be done now to meet the needs of Kenya's citizens and the interests of truth, justice and democracy.
Wanyama Masinde researches on global governance at Birkbeck College, University of London

Also by Wanyama Masinde in openDemocracy:

"Kenya's fruitless referendum" (21 November 2005)

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