Kenya Tired of Violence the People Want to Stop

The Kenyan government have agreed to recount the election ballots after a week of violence swept across the country over the re-election of Presidnt Mwai Kibaki.  Many accuse the election of being rigged.  The Foreign Minister of France, Bernard Kouchner has stated, “Were the elections rigged or not?  I think so, many think so, the Americans think so, the British think so, and they know the country well.”

The United Nations says that they are nearly overwhelmed with the task of supplying food to 100,000 displaced people who are facing starvation in western Kenya.

Protesters were too exhausted to march in central Nairobi today.  A resident of the Mathare slum was quoted saying “We’re tired, we’re not going to march…Let the fighting stop.”

Officials are ready to re-run the ballots for the disputed election on December 27.  They are eager to stop the violence and are only waiting on a court order.  The spokesman for Kibaki has said “We would accept even another election as long as the constitution is followed.  If the courts decide it, we would accept that.”

Nairobi is beginning to settle back to some form of normalcy, although teargas was fired in Mombosa by police on Friday in an effort to break up a group of 500 Muslim anti-government demonstrators.

Attempts have been made for mediation and they will continue until results have been yielded.  Kibaki and Odinga still refuse to speak to each other.  US Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer will be in Nairobi on Friday to speak with both party leaders.  President George Bush has told Reuters “They have an opportunity to come together in some kind of arrangement that will help heal the wounds.”