Story here. Citing the violence, opposition leader Odinga has canceled rallies to protest the allegedly fraudulent re-election of President Kibaki. This analysis insists the protests and violence are happening for plain old political reasons and are not Rwanda-style “tribal” violence as many Western media outlets are reporting. What’s the Straight Dope on that? And is a peaceful settlement likely?
I spent a month or so in Kenya a few years ago. I’m very fond of the country in many ways, but corruption is rampant. The only intertribal tension I saw then was a general prejudice against the Masaai from others. There was no obvious defining lines between other tribes, and tribalism did not seem to be as much an issue for anyone, compared to Uganda, where I spent some time.
So, my analysis, base on tiny anecdotal data… The violence is driven by corruption more than tribalism. It seems like Kibaki wants to hold onto power at all costs, and he thinks he can get away with rigging the election.
Y’know, I haven’t heard Obama express any opinion on this yet . . . not that he’s obliged to have one, but since his father was Kenyan, I’m surprised no reporter has yet asked him about it.