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In the face of growing political unrest and escalating violence, sister Laureate Wangari Maathai has been working tirelessly towards a lasting solution to the crisis in Kenya. This has included launching a Peace Tent Initiative and meeting with religious leaders, politicians and other representatives from Kenya's strong and vibrant civil society. She has also given many interviews to local and international press explaining the genesis of the conflict and supporting dialogue and reconciliation.
We at the Nobel Women's Initiative support her efforts and urge an end to the violent bloodshed in Kenya.
Wangari Maathai's Calls for Peace:
- Listen to Wangari Maathai speak to CNN reporter about the political clashes in Kenya, 3 January 2008
- Spiegel interview with Kenyan Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai, Spiegel, 2 January 2008
- Statement by Professor Wangari Maathai on the unrest and violence in Kenya, 1 January 2008
*Transcripts of Wangari Maathai's Time to show greatness and The political impasse in Kenya will continue unless there is dialogue are below.
Time to show greatness
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Kenya's politicians must take the lead in bringing an end to violence. If not, they risk a terrible legacy. - The Guardian |
By Wangari Maathai
The Guardian
7 January 2008
The situation in my country, Kenya, is shocking and dangerous. We must act to end the violence and senseless killings, which erupted after the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) that President Mwai Kibaki had won the presidential elections. It is important to understand that there has been longstanding underlying discontent and mistrust between some ethnic communities, which has been fed by generations of politicians.
The current political situation had its genesis when President Moi stepped down in 2002 and anointed Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor. Senior politicians who hoped to succeed Moi decamped from his party and joined in opposition with Kibaki, creating the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc). In December 2002, Kenyatta was defeated and Narc came to power with Kibaki as president.
In opposition, Narc's two constituent groups had signed an agreement to share power when victory was secured. This was not honoured, and deep disappointment and discontent led to divisions. In 2005, these caused the defeat of a government-backed draft constitution. In the 2007 election, the Kibaki-led camp campaigned as the Party of National Unity, while the other camp, led by Raila Odinga, became the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). Both were strongly backed by their ethnic communities, with deep mistrust on either side.
Before the results were announced, claims of rigging and irregularities were widespread among ODM supporters; at least one electoral commissioner also raised this charge. After Kibaki was declared the winner, the ODM claimed it had been robbed of victory, and election observers (local and international) also admitted irregularities. When Kibaki rejected ODM demands to step down, members of communities that mainly supported the party turned on those communities perceived to have voted for Kibaki. These have included the Kikuyus, Kisiis and Luhyas. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands displaced, and properties have been burned and looted.
There is frustration among ODM supporters because they believe victory was denied them. We now have a great divide in the country that can only be resolved through truth and reconciliation. Given the admission from the ECK chairman that the election tallying process was irregular, we should have the votes recounted by an independent body, or we should rerun the elections. To expect Kenyans to accept the flawed results would be unfair and undemocratic.
An equally important step is for the two leaders to engage in dialogue. It is challenging for some to exercise restraint, but greatness is demonstrated at times like this. The country's future depends on how the ODM leadership shapes its reactions and how the government responds. We need political maturity and respect for our laws.
 Part of the way forward could also be a power-sharing arrangement, which should be constitutional and put in place by parliament. It would allow the political and economic affairs of the country to return to normality within the shortest possible time.
Even as political leaders play their role, citizens should refrain from violence. All 42 communities in Kenya are bound by geography and history to live as neighbours. Killing, destroying property and displacing our brothers and sisters creates a legacy that will haunt our children and their children.
Let us stand up for each other, irrespective of our ethnic backgrounds and political persuasions. Injustice to one is injustice to all of us. If we, individually and collectively, are not the conscience of our country, then who is? Wangari Maathai
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*Read Wangari Maathai's full statement - Greatness is demonstrated at times like this
The political impasse in Kenya will continue unless
there is dialogue
By Wangari Maathai It is almost two weeks since the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) announced the results of the disputed Presidential Elections and declared President Kibaki the winner. Almost immediately, the country was thrown into the current crisis that refuses to go away.
The ECK may have an argument as to why it got rid of both the local and international press before making the announcement exclusively before the State-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC). There may also be reasons why the swearing in ceremony was so hurriedly conducted at State House shortly after the announcement.
However, many people wonder whether ECK had something to hide when they made the announcement under duress. The fact that ECK has already admitted to being under tremendous pressure to announce results even as some commissioners were admitting that there were irregularities only puts doubt in the credibility of the results.
To those who are conversant with political games of intrigue and trickery this was just another situation in the games politicians in this region play against each other. The only misfortune is that someone got caught. Under normal circumstances, leaders in Africa do not lose elections they organize! Such fixed election games would go undetected and elections would be declared largely free and fair.
Political champions will advice that if you are not willing to play such games, you have no business being in politics for you are bound to lose. It is at the altar of our politics that values like transparency, honesty and accountability are often conveniently sacrificed. It is also here that bribery of voters, election officials, government officers as well as theft and manipulation of votes are given the label of political wisdom.
If you are not caught, you get away with it and may even be called a professor of politics'. Indeed, I am advised that politics is the art of the possible and values count for nothing. This is most unfortunate because it is this kind of politics that is responsible for the inability of this region, and our country for that matter, to move forward.
Many ordinary people who supported President Kibaki believe that God was on their side and performed a miracle, helping them outmaneuver ODM. They are largely unaware of the long term implications of being perceived as a community that stole votes and assumed power against the wishes the majority. To these masses, the killing and the displacement of their own from certain regions is the work of the devil and God will intervene. The masses are not aware of how their elites use them in their struggle for power.
On the other hand, President Kibaki's elite colleagues may not believe in divine intervention. But if nothing happens to stop them, they will nevertheless smile all the way to the Cabinet and enjoy the spoils. With all the instruments of power at their disposal, President Kibaki and his advisors can afford to continue engaging others in futile discussions for the longest time, irrespective of the damage the impasse is causing the country because they believe they have nothing to lose.
This may be because, many of those who supported President Kibaki are looking for a solution but not one that contemplates President Kibaki losing some of the powers that God has now given him. They are praying that Raila will see the light and leave the President alone to do the work that God has assigned to him. So they too, are not eager for dialogue and concessions.
Unfortunately for the government and the suffering masses, ODM may not relent but will continue to demand that it won the elections and victory was stolen from it. The ODM finds it incomprehensible that they are not the ones wearing the crown. They want to do everything to have the crown given back to them: if not in whole, to a larger measure. The ODM will continue to put pressure on the government in the hope that the government will take reconciliatory steps, more so for the sake of the suffering masses and restoration of peace in the country.
The unfortunate messy performance by the Electoral Commission only serves to give ODM public sympathy and energize their supporters. These supporters continue to turn their anger and frustration to rallies and at members of communities perceived to have voted for President Kibaki. This is part of the public display of outrage to force President Kibaki and his team of advisors to recapitulate.
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To date, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands displaced and properties destroyed, especially through burning and looting. Leaders have appealed to those causing mayhem to stop the violence, but few seem to heed that call. The tragedy is that, despite all the suffering, the move towards dialogue is extremely slow. Perhaps more public and international pressure is needed for the leaders to seek a lasting solution.
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The government may trivialize the impact of the crisis and feel comfortable in the knowledge that no sufficiently strong pressure will come from citizens to warrant dialogue and concessions. Indeed, the government may feel that it can deal with the violence and its aftermath through the state machinery and resources. So far the government has managed to keep ODM supporters form attending public rallies around the country. However, the tragic events in clash-torn areas seem to happen as if there is no security in sight.
Maintaining security in urban centres is important but that also means that pubic gatherings are prohibited for fear they may degenerate into riotous activities. Public expression from citizens, at times like this, is however very important. The government may be underestimating the value of citizen involvement especially through peaceful demonstrations where wananchi can vent their anxiety and frustrations brought about by a crisis that refuses to go away. We need a common forum for peaceful and responsible citizens to get involved and search for a solution to the crisis, even at the personal level. This will help to gain momentum for a peaceful resolution as well as deal with the trauma that many around the country are experiencing.
On their part, leaders are getting advice from their supporters, but much of it will be to maintain a hardline position. This is because many of these advisors are thinking of the positions and the privilege which will come to them. Others are thinking of the benefits they will get from the government. Yet others will support their respective leaders to the hilt even when they themselves are the first victims.
If leaders will not change their hardline positions and their supporters continue to hail them as heroes for standing firm on their positions, it becomes difficult for good men and women to broker peace.
During most conflicts in Africa the uncompromising positions taken by leaders who refuse mediation, dialogue and concessions have taken countries into unimaginable suffering and pain. Eventually, leaders lose control and anarchy takes over. Marauding gangs take over to steal, rape, maim and punish. That is not what President Kibaki and Raila want for this country, but they are not doing enough to change the course of events. I would have thought that any sacrifices are worth end of violence and peace!
History has recorded situations where leaders caught in such conflicts wait until some of them are arrested and taken to international courts as violators of human rights, genocide and crimes against humanity. One wonders why they would rather get to that than engage in dialogue?
For the sake of themselves and the people they lead (sometimes rather blindly), I appeal to the international community including the African Union, the Commonwealth, the European Commission, the United Nations and other friends like the United States of America and Japan to continue putting pressure on President Kibaki, Raila Odinga and their teams to put the welfare of Kenyans before their own personal ambitions and dialogue for a political and legal settlement sooner than later.
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