Is Kenya Safe?

After watching the news and listening to all the civil unrest in the country of Kenya, many of you may wondering if Kenya is really safe to visit yet? The answer is “yes” and “no”. Our team has missionary friends in Nairobi who have informed us that the political/violence scene is stable in the large city but elsewhere outbreaks of violence and protests are still taking place including Kisumu, the town we would have to get supplies in if we were going to Kodera. Our Koderan contact Christopher has substantiated these feelings and advised us not to take a large team to Kodera (the original plan). Instead our small team will meet with our Kodera contact in Nairobi, staying there to teach and transfer supplies. All this said, we will keep a close eye on the situation and make a final decision closer to our departure date. Even if God closes the door for travel this year, we plan on going to Kenya in 2009 making any efforts made this year very beneficial and much appreciated!

For more information regarding statements by the US Embassy and the US Department of State for travel in Kenya checkout:
• http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/warden_messages.html
• http://nairobi.usembassy.gov/kenya-travel-alert.html
• http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1766.html
• http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html


Have you heard the news about the recent election conflict and subsequent violence in Kenya that has resulted in over 1000 deaths and the internal displacement of over 350,000 Kenyan people? The following is a short synopsis of the recent political scene in Kenya:

Prior to changes made in 2008, Kenya was a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President was both the Head of State and the Head of Government of a multi-party system. Executive power was exercised by the government, legislative power was vested in both the government and the National Assembly and the judiciary was independent of the executive and legislative powers. However, there was growing concern during former president Daniel Arap Moi’s tenure that executive power was meddling in the affairs of the judiciary.

Before the December 2007 elections, Kenya was one of the more stable African countries despite changes in its political system and crises in neighboring countries. In 1997, a cross-party parliamentary reform initiative revised colonial era oppressive laws that limited freedom of speech and assembly. This reform improved public freedom and contributed to the generally credible national election that took place December 1997.

In December 2002, Kenyans held democratic and open elections, most of which were judged free and fair by international observers. The 2002 elections marked an important turning point in Kenya's democratic evolution in that power was transferred peacefully from the Kenya African Union (KANU), which had ruled the country since independence to the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc), a coalition of political parties.

Under the presidency of Mwai Kibaki (2002), the new ruling coalition promised to focus on generating economic growth, combating corruption, improving education, and rewriting its constitution. A few of these promises have been met. For example,
• There is free primary education starting in 2008,
• Secondary education costs will be heavily subsidized by the government starting fall of 2008
• Kenyans could associate and express themselves without fear of being harassed by security agents (used to be the case during the Moi administration)
Interestingly in November 2005, the Kenyan electorate resoundingly defeated a new draft constitution supported by Parliament and President Kibaki. Kibaki responded by dismissing his entire cabinet and eventually appointed a new slate of ministers.

The last general elections were held on December 27, 2007. President Kibaki under the Party of National Unity (PNU) ran for re-election against the main opposition, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). As the counts came into the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK), Odinga was indicated to have a substantial lead over Kibaki. However, as the election continued and more votes were counted, Kibaki closed the gap and eventually overtook his opponent by a substantial margin amid largely substantiated claims of voter rigging. This led to protests and riots openly discrediting the ECK for complicity, anger toward Odinga for declaring himself as the "people's president", calling for a recount and Kibaki to resign.

With increasing violence, deaths, the displacement of many people, and no hope of reconciliation, eminent persons of Africa, including Dr. Kofi Annan, were called to Kenya in hopes of brokering a peaceful solution to the political stalemate. In the end, on February 28, 2008, President Mwai Kibaki and Mr. Raila Odinga signed an agreement on the formation of a coalition government in which Odinga would become Kenya’s second Prime Minister. The agreement also called for President Kibaki to appoint cabinet ministers from both PNU and ODM parties. This coalition will hold until one of the parties withdrawals, or the end of the current Parliament, whichever comes first.

Kenyan lawmakers unanimously approved a power-sharing deal March 18, 2008 aimed at salvaging a country once seen as one of the most stable and prosperous in Africa, by bringing together two men, President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose dispute over the presidency unleashed weeks of deadly violence.

So is Kenya safe? Yes and No.