Kenyans in SA plan protest

2008-01-02 19:14

Johannesburg - Kenyans currently living in South Africa will stage a protest on Tuesday next week against "irregular" presidential elections that saw incumbent Mwai Kibaki return to his seat as the East African country's president.

Tony Ouma, a Kenyan based in SA who is one of the protest's organisers, said on Wednesday: "More than 100 people will march to the Kenyan Embassy in Pretoria to protest against the deteriorating political situation in the East African country."

The march (which was scheduled for Thursday) has been postponed "because we need to get a permit to stage a picket protest, as we are in a foreign land," Ouma said.

"We are going to march to the embassy in protest against recent police killings and vote rigging of the presidential elections," he said.

A dispute over last week's presidential ballot - sparked by what many Kenyans viewed as discrepancies in the counting process - has triggered Kenya's worst urban unrest in 25 years, claiming more than 300 lives.

On Tuesday, at least 35 children and adults sheltering in a church near the western town of Eldoret were burnt alive by a mob in one of the worse incidents since the December 27 elections.

Kibaki "should step down"

President Kibaki, who was sworn in on Sunday after beating his opposition challenger Raila Odinga in elections split on tribal lines, is currently under fire from the country's minority groups after claims he had rigged the polls.

Ouma said Kibaki, who is largely supported by the country's largest tribe - the Kikuyu, should step down as the country's president since he was not elected by the people.

"There is evidence presented on international television and the European Commission has indicated very clearly that there were malpractices.

"Kibaki must resign so that the real winner, Odinga, a Luo, can be inaugurated," he said.

He said the rigging of votes was an attempt by the Kikuyu tribe to maintain its superior status in defiance of the wishes of the people of Kenya.

"There are 42 tribes in Kenya - this protest pits Kenyans against Kikuyu," he said.

Tensions

Ouma, who comes from the Luo tribe, but now runs a clothing business in central Johannesburg, said tensions between the Kikuyu tribe (Kenya's traditional ruling class) and other Kenyan ethnic groups were very high at the moment.

"These tensions have been in existence for a long time, but the current political climate has definitely worsened the relations.

"Kenya's police are currently killing people who are engaging in peaceful protests in Kenya - just to protect the Kikuyu tribe," he said.

For the same reason, Ouma said Kenyans from the Kikuyu tribe currently residing in South Africa would not be participating in next Tuesday's protest.

"We did not invite them," he said.

- SAPA