Kenya’s
opposition called on Friday for three days of mass rallies across the nation next week to protest President Mwai
Kibaki’s disputed re-election, which has sparked waves of deadly violence.
“Kenyans are entitled to protest peacefully at this blatant violation of their fundamental rights,’’ Anyang Nyongo, secretary-general of the Orange Democratic Movement.
Nyongo announced rallies in more than 20 locations for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He also said sanctions should be imposed on the
government.
Tony Gachoka, a spokesman for the
opposition party, said earlier on Monday the call for more protests was a response to the failure of African Union mediation talks to resolve the dispute over the election, which foreign observers say was rigged. More than 500 people have died in the ensuing protests and ethnic violence.
“Due to the large numbers of people expected we request the police to provide us with security,’’ ODM said in a statement.
Police spokesman Eric Kiraithe said he will announce a decision about the rally request by Wednesday “based on the intelligence reports we receive.’’
African Union chairman President John Kufuor of Ghana left Nairobi on Thursday after two days of mediation failed to persuade Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to agree even to meet. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has agreed to take over talks but is not expected to arrive in Nairobi before Tuesday, his office in Geneva said. The election was the closest in Kenya’s history. “Both sides agree that there should be an end to violence,’’ Kufuor said as he left Kenya.
The two sides traded blame for the political deadlock on Thursday. According to the government, Kibaki “offered dialogue,’’ but Odinga was not responsive. Odinga said Kibaki refused to sign an agreement to establish an interim coalition government and conduct an inquiry into the Electoral Commission of Kenya.
A government spokesman acknowledged Kibaki had not signed, saying he was not involved in the consultations.
Odinga has said he would meet Kibaki only in the presence of an international mediator. Kibaki wants direct talks.
Kenya is crucial to the war on terrorism, having turned over dozens of suspected terrorists to the US and Ethiopia. It also allows American forces to operate from Kenyan bases and conducts joint exercises with US troops in the region.
Another blow was dealt to the credibility of the results when the disgraced electoral commission chairman denied responsibility for an official advertisement in leading newspapers detailing the tally of those results by constituency.
“I did not submit this report or authorise my name to be used for its publication,’’ Samuel Kivuiti was quoted as saying in Friday’s edition of The Standard newspaper.
He questioned the timing of the three-page advertisement, wondering why his commission had “rushed’’ to publication.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s police chief on Friday banned new nationwide opposition protest rallies planned for next week after the failure of internationally-led talks to end the country’s political crisis.
Asked if he would allow the fresh demonstrations, police commissioner Major-General Mohamed Hussein Ali said: “No.” “We have ... the options, in the interest of security, to cancel such meetings, demonstrations or rallies if we think they are going to contravene peace and security.
“Police think it is not appropriate at this time,” he told journalists, shortly after Kenya’s opposition called for three days of protests in some 30 towns across the country. The restrictions that we have had on post-election rallies are still in place,” Ali added.