December 28, 2002
A GLIMMER:
Analysis: Kenya at the crossroads (Andrew Harding, 26 December, 2002, BBC)His picture hangs in every shop, his face graces every bank note.But after 24 years of almost absolute power, President Daniel arap Moi is about to be shunted aside in a closely-fought general election marking, if all goes well, the very first democratic transfer of power in Kenyan history.
Many Kenyans still find it hard to believe that the 78-year-old Moi is finally stepping down, especially since he may well have to hand over power to an opposition alliance which has emerged as the clear front-runner in recent polls.
But the former headmaster, one of Africa's last so-called "Big Men" seems resolute. [...]
Above all, the campaign has been characterised by an overwhelming desire for change, a popular thirst for an end to the corruption and inertia which has slowly strangled this vibrant, spectacular country and left well over half the population in deep poverty.
President Moi, aware perhaps that his place in history will largely be determined by what happens over the next few days, has promised a "smooth" transition.
You know, Africa is such a mess and has been for so long that it's easy to just ignore a story like this. How many reasonably honest elections and peaceful and sustainable transfers of power has the entire continent seen since de-colonialization? But comes word today: Early lead for Kenyan opposition (BBC, 28 December, 2002)
Unofficial results from Kenya's presidential elections give the main opposition candidate, Mwai Kibaki, a comfortable early lead. [...]Mr Kibaki has 72% of the presidential vote, according to the Institute for Education in Democracy (IED), a Kenyan non-governmental organisation, which advises the electoral commission. [...]
The BBC's Gray Phombeah in the coastal resort of Mombasa reports that opposition supporters have been celebrating their apparent victory in the town, throughout the night.
"It appears that we are on the eve of a historic victory. This is the Christmas gift Narc promised Kenyans," said Raila Odinga a senior figure in Mr Kibaki's National Rainbow Coalition (Narc).
It's way too early to get excited about this, but if, a few months down the road, the new government does appear to be reforming the country, the EU should do everything it can to help them. Africa badly needs a couple success stories. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 28, 2002 6:48 AM
The Kenyan election is indeed something to watch. A smooth handover could lead to the re-ignition of a country that was was once poised to be the leading democratic centre in Africa. The Kenyan's deserve it. They have been stoic and orderly through the incredibly difficult times that have been been their lot for so long.
Posted by: bleeding brain at December 28, 2002 11:27 AMGee, I hope so, but wasn't Ivory Coast the
example of a better Africa? And look how that's
turned out.
Ivory Coast had been a French colony and is therefore an unlikely candidate for long term success.
Posted by: oj at December 30, 2002 7:28 PMi believe there were some French clients on your list of soon-to-be-democratic states, like Turkey. Surely Turkey has been subjected to more French influence than Ivory Coast?
Posted by: Harry at December 30, 2002 11:12 PMHarry:
If you like I can delete that silly comment for you, unless Turkey, unbeknownst to me, has likewise adopted French as its national language and has a near plurality of Christians, as in Cote d'Ivoire.
Turkey's closest political ally from about 1660 to 1850 was France,
Posted by: Harry at December 31, 2002 12:38 PMAnd it had zero influence.
Posted by: oj at December 31, 2002 7:22 PM