Election night, Kenya, 2007. The votes roll in, and at some time around 11pm, as victory seemed imminent for the opposition candidate, all televisions in the country went black. When broadcasts resumed in the morning, the incumbent had materialized enough votes to soundly win the election. In the aftermath, a
wave of violence broke out in which some 1,300 people were killed. In opposition to a domestic investigation of the violence, Kenyan MP's chanted 'Don't be vague; go to the Hague!' Now, three years later,
some officials are a bit less enthusiastic. A series of articles on the ICC investigation of political violence in Kenya:
I II III IVKenya stands at a crossroads. It boasts one of the most corrupt governments in the world, yet has been one of the more stable sub-Saharan states, with a strong
independent press and reform movement, including a
Nobel Peace Prize winner. A new constitution was recently adopted, full of measures to eliminate corruption, but has yet to be implemented as the current Parliament continue jockeying under the old rules. The ICC is a first attempt to bring justice against the most powerful members of the Kenyan elite, with the goal of
increasing the country's political stability. The six indicted have already been
asked to resign. Meanwhile, corrupt leaders named in
cables published by Wikileaks have been loudly denouncing the American ambassador, to remove the focus from themselves. The events of the next few months will determine the direction of the nation for years to come.
No one got a good word for a single one.
Where these first-class geniuses all goin' wrong,
They never got the population singing along.
The Hague/Vague thing is good, but not really charge beating in terms of length, I look forward to the rest of the Kenyan parliament's work as corruption charges go ahead.
posted by fido~depravo at 6:57 PM on December 15, 2010