"The only way to restore the Kenyan people's rights and confidence in the (social and political) system is that the political leaders have to stop the violence, because innocent people are dying." - Jendayi Frazer, the top US official for Africa.
True that.
And, so, it seems like (minor) progress is being made in Kenya to address the stalemate between the presidential contenders and their supporters as they try to resolve questions around "fair elections" (amid a backdrop of ethnic tensions). The sitting president, Mwai Kibaki, has invited the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, to participate in face-to-face talks in order to discuss the disputed election results. While the exact goals of the meeting seems to be a little vague, the gesture is enough that violence seems to have, um, died down a little over the past day or two. Read more, courtesy of the BBC:
Kenya leader invites foe to talks
BBC News, January 7th, 2007
For those of you that have asked about my sister Megan, she's been fine, spending this past weekend in Kampala, Uganda with another Peace Corp Volunteer (PCV) from Kenya. The two of them will be flying out to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania tomorrow for the next two weeks; we'll see where she goes from there. Megan is itching to get back "home" - to Matayos - but seeing her current day-to-day living in unfamiliar places as an opportunity to explore new territory.. physically and emotionally.
Back to thinking about the country (née, the world) at large, I'd like to have faith in the triumph of reason and order over chaos (the second law of thermodynamics notwithstanding); and everyone displaced will be able to go home and work towards a more stable existence, now and into the future.
As I've mentioned before, I really don't have any background in African politics, but I am willing to listen to folks who do and would like to tell me about it - in whatever way that means, given your personal expertise; it's a big continent.
UPDATE: Easy come; easy go. No talks for now:
Kenya Opposition Leader Rejects Talks
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 8, 2008
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