Do think any Kenyan leader is stupid enough to antagonize the US and forgo foreign aid? Kenya will continue to cooperate with the US on radical Islamist terrorism regardless of who is elected.
Your opinions and experiences are valuable to me because they provide a context I wouldn't have otherwise. If I have made any offense, I apologize.
I can understand making appeals to religious, ethnic constituencies. But as I read the Odinga/NAMLEF MOU, it seems to be describing the establishment of a separatist state under Muslim law and control. To my mind, that amounts to a disavowal of the nation of Kenya.
Is there a historic precedent for this in Kenya? What is the opinion of the majority of Kenyans in this matter?
Both Kibaki and Odinga signed MOU’s with Muslims
I haven't found Kibaki's. How is it different from Odinga's? Sounds like the Somali rendition is a major issue. (As I can imagine it would be!)
What is Kibaki trying to achieve with this, and is the practice still going on?
This is Kenya’s second real democratic election. The guy before Kibaki (Arap Moi) ruled as a virtual dictator for more than twenty years. Kibaki defeated Arap Moi because Kenya yearned for change.
Democracy is messy. Muslims constitute 10% of the population of Kenya. You cannot ignore them in a tight race. Secondly, there are some real discriminatory practices against Muslims (like non-issue of national ID cards).
Kibaki did not win the popular vote, so in typical African fashion he attempted to slander his opponent. In the aftermath many people died. (Odinga is no saint).
There are many ‘Odinga MOUs’ in circulation many are false.
No right thinking Kenyan politician would create a seperate state for muslims in Kenya. What part of ‘Kenya is 90% non-muslim (christian majority) do you not understand? The Muslim areas are the coast areas (Mombassa etc), very important areas for tourism.
Now the final and most important point. Obama is very popular within Kenya (understandbly). Kenya is a VERY IMPORTANT ally in the war against terror (Look at a map and see where Kenya lies). Kenya has been of great help to both Britain and Israel (the ‘raid on Entebbe’ Israeli commandoes used Kenyan facilities).
We (conservatives) should not try to piss off the Kenyans. The last thing we want is for it to be politically difficult for a democratically elected Kenyan politician to stick his neck out to aid the US.
If you want to have a real feel for the passions and anguish of the ordinary Kenyan of the recent elections read this: http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2007/12/31/is-kenya-turning-into-a-police-state/
The situation in Kenya was a deeply emotional experience for most Kenyans. And Kenyans are understandbly angry that people in America have sought to score cheap political points ‘over the bodies of scores of dead kenyans’.
It is like rubbing salt on an open wound. A wound that has only begun to heal. Kenyans have moved on. Right now Kibaki and Odinga have agreed to form a government together (with Kibaki as president and Odinga as prime minister).