PEACE
• Before the 2007 post-election violence that was said to have been spear headed by the current presidential elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto, Kenya had been known to be the most peaceful country in Africa. This year’s presidential election that was held March 4th was one of the most watched events in the world as people were hoping and praying that a repeat of the previous election does not reoccur. Tension was clearly felt on before, during and after the people of Kenya cast their votes and anxiously waited a whole week for the announcement of the president elect. There was a huge sigh of relief when the voting was over and the final tallying of the votes was announced.
• In the emerging web of party relations where governors, senators, and county representatives may come from diverse parties, bridge-building is required to make the new government work. Some pundits predicted a scenario of legal challenges to the election and potential melt-down, but the election is a triumph of peace. A sharp international spotlight on Kenya served to deter the threat of violence. But the election results which show an almost even divide between Jubilee (50.3%) and the rest of the parties (49.97%) have, indisputably, left a nation divided along a delicate majority-minority fault line. Strategically, the country must reconcile Mutahi Ngunyi’s ‘tyranny of numbers’ with the dictates of an inclusive democracy to unite and build a just and stable future. Kenya’s fourth Republic must invest in nation healing, reconciliation and bridge-building strategies as the basis of a just, united and prosperous Kenyan House.
• The Daily Nation, one of Kenya’s largest newspapers, announced that this year was the costliest presidential election ever. No comprehensive figures are available, but it was estimated that the four leading coalitions spent 10 million Kenyan shillings ($115,000 US) per day on helicopters alone. No mention has been made of the sources of these funds.
The front-running candidate for President, Raila Odinga, just
