Prime Minister Raila Odinga (right) confers with Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula during an open forum to discuss the Zimbabwe crisis in Nairobi. Photo by HEZRON NJOROGE.Resolutions & Communique' From The Public Forum Held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi On June 25, 2008 On the Tragic Developments in Zimbabwe
We the representatives of the Government, political parties, civil society and the public of Kenya;
Having gathered at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 to deliberate on the escalating political, economic, social and security crisis in Zimbabwe;
Having affirmed our unity and solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe;
Cognizant of the consensus of African and World Opinion expressing serious concerns on the tragic and deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe;
Desirous of entrenching democracy, peace, sustainable development and national healing in Zimbabwe do make the following resolutions:
RESOLUTIONS:
1.
The government and people of Kenya stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe as they struggle for democracy, peace and development.
2.
The people and government of Kenya demand the postponement of elections in Zimbabwe until conditions are created that will enable free and fair elections - in the event that the run off proceeds under the current conditions, the Kenya government and its people shall not recognize a leadership under a flawed process;
3.
We condemn the blatant violations of human rights and demand that Robert Gabriel Mugabe and ZANU-PF take immediate steps to end the campaign of state terror and violence against peaceful, democracy seeking people of Zimbabwe;
4.
We call for the immediate release of Tendai Biti MP and Secretary General of the MDC and the party's chief mediator; all MDC leaders, lawyers arrested because of their defense of political, constitutional and human rights freedoms and all other Zimbabweans currently languishing in prison on trumped up charges;
5.
We condemn the gagging of the media, the harassment and repression of journalists in Zimbabwe and demand that the illegitimate Mugabe regime immediately restore the freedom of the press, freedom of expression and other fundamental rights;
6.
We support the efforts of the African Union to broker peace and foster democratic development in Zimbabwe but call for change of approach. Specifically we call upon the AU and its member states:
a) Not to recognize Robert Gabriel Mugabe's illegitimate presidency;
b) Declare the purported run off scheduled for June 27, 2008 as illegal, illegitimate and inconsequential;
c) Note that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is discredited and should be reconstituted for a fresh election;
d) Take decisive action to intervene in the Zimbabwe crisis up to and including the "Anjuan Option";
e) Send in a peace-keeping force to stop the spate of violence, atrocities, especially crimes against humanity;
f) Replace President Mbeki from spearheading the negotiations because of his overt bias towards Mugabe and dismal failure to oversee a credible mediation process.
7.
The AU must take immediate steps to adequately address the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe among them;
a) Put together a major regional fact-finding mission on gross human rights violations; with special attention to questions of sexual violence and abrogation of the rights of women and children;
b) Call upon the Peace & Security Council of the AU to hold an urgent and special session on Zimbabwe;
c) Demand for the postponement of t he run off election of the 27th June, 2008.
8.
The people and government of Kenya are fully behind the recent UN Security Council unprecedented and unanimous decision to censure the Mugabe regime's anti-democratic determination to hold fraudulent elections in a climate of fear and intimidation as he holds the people of Zimbabwe at ransom;
9.
We call upon and encourage the victors and the losers in the March 29 elections in Zimbabwe to embrace dialogue in order to work out a framework for a sustainable democratic transition on the basis of electoral results, truth and justice;
10.
We pledge to use all democratic methods to protest the human rights violations and repressive policies of the discredited Mugabe-ZANU PF regime And we will take all steps within the law to promote the human rights, political freedoms and peace in Zimbabwe;
11.
We reaffirm our solidarity and support for Zimbabwean IDPs inside the country and Zimbabwean refugees and exiles outside the country. In this connection we call upon the AU member states to make special provisions for any Zimbabwean asylum seekers and refugee claimants seeking protection anywhere within the continent.
12.
We call upon the international community to impose targeted sanctions on Mugabe, and his coterie both in government and ZANU PF and their immediate families by:
1.
Revoking and or denying visas of any kind;
2.
Freeze their assets anywhere in the world;
3.
Hold Mugabe culpable for the violent use and abuse of Zimbabwean youth in perpetrating violence, crimes against humanity, repression and economic sabotage in the country;
4.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) should institute investigations against Mugabe for crimes against humanity.
13.
We condemn all the world leaders and states that are coddling and condoning the pariah Mugabe regime while African citizens in that country are dying and languishing in Mugabe's dungeons;
14.
We call upon all democracy seeking human rights defenders around the world to pitch camp outside the diplomatic missions of Zimbabwe around the world on Friday June 27th, 2008 in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe;
Signed for the Government of Kenya;
Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya
Hon. Moses Wetangula, MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Signed for Centre for Multi-Party Democracy-Kenya
Prof. Larry Gumbe, Chairperson
Njeri Kabeberi, Executive Director
Signed for the National Civil Society Congress
Ann Njogu
Kepta Ombati
Signed for Kenyans for Peace with Truth and Justice
Harun Ndubi
Mugambi Kiai
Signed for Bunge la Mwananchi
George Nyongesa
Kelly Musyoka
United we stand, divided we fall!
ReplyDeleteI applaud kenyans for standing with people of Zimbambwe.
None story. Next?
ReplyDeleteAll talk and no action! What is the point of all this written declarations? It is not worth the paper it was written on. Unless we are ready to stand by the Zimbabweans and face the bullets from Mugabe's mungiki thugs; then I think it is best if we keep our mouth shut and mind our own business lest we appear like Museveni during the kenyan post election conflict.
ReplyDeleteUsed to be a time around here when countries lent their support in terms of arms, training and funding towrds ejecting desport leaders. Now all we have are wriiten pronouncements over high tea and buscuits!
Those were real leaders who stood for something.
Good wording but of what EFFECT? The goon being addressed is impervious to anything from outside himself. But then again he must be in the right company. Some to those resolutions could as well apply locally before we export them elasewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe main question remains, who will save Zims from this imp given the mere words from AU to UN and Mbeki's placidity? Does it mean that the world will fold her hands and witness a country go down the sewer?
Tsangirai's talk of GNU is an oxymoron. Kenya set a very bad precedent where impunity and fraud are molified with reward. Leaves voters very bitter and recourse to barbarity.
These dinosaurs make history students very proud in dusting old theories off the shelves. May be Africa was not ready for independence or better still the independence generation make the colonialists look like saints.
Taabu, if you are reading this tune to CNN - right now. Zim is the top story and they are interviewing none other than RAO.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a massive step taken by Kenya Government and Civil society.
It is being ranked as the boldest move of any country in Africa in the the face of the Zimbabwean crisis.
Taabu said:
ReplyDeleteGood wording but of what EFFECT?
Papa plus:
All talk and no action! What is the point of all this written declarations?
Our comment:
It is written, in the beginning, there was the word. That being the case, to dismiss the statement alltogether, seems to us not very wise.
If all Africa nations and their leaders had spoken openly against what is happening in Zim. we would not be having this tragedy that dihumanises all Africans.
I think the government and the people of Kenya, alongside those of Tanzania, Rwanda and Angola have spoken out and given their moral support to Zimbabweans. That's all we can do.
ReplyDeleteBut my question has always been; Why the hell do we have the United Nations? What is the role of the much talked aboout African union? These two have proven to be bodies that wait for telephone calls from Washington D.C with instructions on where to send troops or where to intervene. They are are elite clubs that have no role to play.
If any meaningful and long lasting change is going to come to Zimbabwe, then two people will have to wake up from their slumber; Thambo Mbeki and Gordon Brown.
Thambo Mbeki's country is viewed as a big brother in Africa. President Mbeki has been given the onus of mediating in that country. He should have told mugabe in no uncertain terms that everybody, but himself and Grace, want him out. It is time for him to leave, let him go with all his il-gotten money to some Carribean destination or wherever he pleases and die there. That will give the people an opportunity to start all over again and mend their shattered lives.
Gordon Brown has a role to play because his country is partly to blame for the sorry state in Zimbabwe. The queen was the head of state just 28 years ago and the ties between these two countries should still be close. Britain should be helping because part of the problem has to do with their nationals being dispossesd of their land. The Tony Blair engineered sanctions arising from this disposession have created panic in Mugabe transforming him to a hardcore despot. They have also led to the collapse of the economy bringing untold suffering.
That is why I feel that Brown should just send troops to Harare with a "wanted, dead or alive" sign. This Bush style unilateralism may sound a little stupid, but then desperate times call for desperate measures. President Clinton sent troops to Kosovo to save the folks there from Milosevic without an explicit permission from the UN. Of course Bush's barbaric invasion of Iraq was not sanctioned by the UN and even in Afghanistan, the UN ratified the invasion of that country when American troops were already on the ground. That is why Brown should be mobilising the rest of the EU and the US and leading an assault on Mugabe's goon squad without a care in the world about Zimbabwe's illusory sovereignty.
This is very commendable that the Kenya government is a counter signatory TOGETHER with the civil society bodies in Kenya
ReplyDeleteRAO is really changing Kenya.
If this is acceptable for the Zimbambwe issue, then it is a way of doing things for days to come in Kenya.
Changes come slowly and we are now seeing a different approach to issues in Kenya.IT is a revolution, however slow it is.
Couldnt believe the words used bu Wetangula- and those are the official words by the minister for Foreign affairs-the Kenya government!
i agree with Phil. This is a huge story and Raila is right on track. I am not one of his supporters but he has taken the right stance this time.
ReplyDeleteVikii,
ReplyDeleteMbeki and Brown you say? Why only these 2 individuals? Mbeki couldn't even master his party's leadership and you expect him to take the lead on Mugabe? Mugabe and the ANC have a long relationship hence the quiet diplomacy. Basically the shared enermy friendship.
As for Brown; looking to Britain for help is laughable. We either accept that we are semi british protectorates or not at all. And that starts by weaning ourselves off that British teat.
The missing participant here is AU and other African states. At least in Kenya certain African leaders came forth to mediate.
It's time Africans dealt with their problems in house instead of running to the US and UK.
I support the position Kenya has taken in being vocal and not seating on the issue like outher African countries.
ReplyDeleteVikii... you bring up a good point. Where is the United Nations? These jamaa's have been useless for the last decade. So sad.
Papa plus,
ReplyDeleteSpare vikii some flak his was to suggest the DOABLE. All others including your suggestion are very smart rhetorics that has been with us for ages and no actions. You know we Africans are a funny breed. We shout SOVEREIGNITY when it suits us and run to the next pale skined when troubled.
Vikii must have been well aware of all the good shouts and intentions and no action hence the BROWN story. And he must be alive to the fact that GB has more stakes in Zim than GW.
Mugabe listens to nobody inlcluding our own Annan so why not look for any real muscle? As for AU don't even go there. No wonder even Tsvangirai couldn't trust taking refuge in any of the Afriacn embassies-Mugabe would as well have raided the same.
Taabu,
ReplyDeleteOh yes you are partly right in the rhetoric with no actions. But that is just the reality now.
Not too long ago, up until the mid 80s; African leaders offered real help to their counterparts. Nyerere gave Museveni arms and boots on the ground to rout Obote, Zimbabwe funded ANC, Museveni aided Kagame and on and on.
So what happened? Is it that fellows like Raila and Tsvangirai are too soft? They are not willing to fight for their goals with guns? What happened to rolling into Harare in a military tank? It looks to me like we can still learn something from the rebels. be sure to a)secure or subdue the military and b) have fire power ready to go as a plan B. I mean hell, even now we have the morning after pill as a plan B!
Times have really changed.
Mbuyus, the UN and AU are only as good as the countries within them. If you put fools in one room you will only achieve prime foolishness.
ReplyDeleteAs usual Kibaki and Kalonzo were terrified to sign that declaration. Some folks have already made frantic personal calls to Mugabe emphasizing their disassociation with that document.
In all seriousness, talk is cheap. We Africans have failed ourselves in Darfur, Kenya, Chad etc. Now we are anxiously waiting to flip channels in search of any CNN news, thrash blogs, spent hours on BBC.COM etc.
Would America be where it is today if its citizens were as ….. as we are?
if central province is heaven to rabid kikuyu tribalists, tell us please- why is this kikuyu man refusing to leave Sweden???
ReplyDeletehttp://kenyastockholm.com/2008/06/24/kenyan-threatened-with-deportation-goes-public-identity/
[img]http://bp3.blogger.com/_oycKvAJJ1pQ/SGH0No9qJLI/AAAAAAAAA6k/xE-a6maD8Us/s400/petersson.jpg[/img]
Kenyan Threatened With Deportation Goes Public With Identity
“Conspiracy Theory” between Kenya Embassy and Swedish Authorities To Deport The Kenyan Open Up Amid Tomb-Like Silence By Top Embassy Cats About The Case
The situation of a Kenyan who has been facing deportation to Kenya after his Swedish citizenship was stripped by authorities here continue to oscillate between deportation to Kenya and dumping in Tanzania under new and mysterious circumstances.
Because the campaign to stop his deportation has entered a critical stage, the Kenyan has decided to go public with his plight and identity because he now believes that circumstances surrounding his deportation may be a conspiracy between the Swedish authorities and unscrupulous officials at the Kenyan Embassy in Stockholm.
Mr. Petersson Murimi Kinyua, the Kenyan, cannot understand why the Swedish police is offering him money so that he can accept to be deported from Sweden. When the deportation first ran into problems on Thursday 19th June, the Swedish police offered him 6,200kr if he could accept to be deported without resistance but when the plan failed after the legal aspects of the problem were brought before the Swedish authorities by concerned groups, the Swedes changed strategy.
just picked this from jikwaa blog
ReplyDeleteWas the briefcase/files at Narok Air crash found?
« Thread Started Today at 12:15am » ----------------------------
some people are speculating as to what the files contained. kones was in charge of roads but was the kipsigis lynchpin. laboso was in home affairs and privy to sensitive prisons information.
most of their artefacts and briefcases were not found after the fateful crash. people are speculating, what did some of these briefcases containt?
had laboso passed on evidence of some unusual police/prisons project that ended in hurried executions and hidden mass graves.
with no official govt info and confusing numbers, people are going to speculate. and what im hearing is not sounding good.
The United Nations Method of Child Discipline.
ReplyDeleteIf your child is caught stealing from a store, you should take the
following actions:
Tell your child that stealing is wrong, and not to do it again.
If he does it again,
tell him that this behavior is not acceptable.
If he does it again,
warn him that if he does it again, he will be reprimanded
If he does it again,
warn him that if he does it again, he will be sternly reprimanded
If he does it again,
warn him that if he does it again, he will be severely reprimanded
If he does it again,
look hurt.
If he does it again,
issue a declaration condemning the action
If he does it again,
call a meeting and publicly condemn him
If he does it again,
threaten him, but reassure him that you will not actually carry
out the threat
If he does it again,
offer him bribes to stop doing it
If he does it again,
pay him the bribes to stop doing it
If he does it again,
threaten to stop paying him the bribes, but reassure him that you
don't really mean it
If he does it again,
Actually issue a reprimand, but then take it back
If he does it again,
issue another reprimand, but this time, do NOT take it back, no
that's too harsh, take it back
If he does it again,
issue yet another reprimand
If he does it again,
call a special session with aunts and uncles to discuss
If he does it again,
issue yet another reprimand
If he does it again,
repeat all these steps, including this one.
---Inspired by Glenn Beck (national radio humorist)
isn't this how the UN is dealing with Mugabe?
Change cn start from one person and will grow to many- look at Obama who would have thought for him to get a white peoples vote over Clinton
ReplyDeleteThe new generation in the world has opened it's eyes- for those who still dig their heads in sand- you are wasting your time-
what surprises me is that kibaki did not sign on the deceleration- what is he afraid off? what is he hiding?Supporting Mugabe behind closed doors like he did with Museveni?? have you heard Uganda speaking? KIBAKI is being watched very closely - you see that declaration effectively has the ODM stamp on it the foreign affairs minister is not a signatory to the coalition it was kibaki and Raila and kibaki should have shown where his stand on Zimbabwe is?? has he uttered even a word?? Nope-so we all know who is supporting Mugabe and is scared of coming out in the open- what an embarrassment for Kenya that a guy who claims to be a president can't stand for what is right?? and why is that?? because he did the same thing to Kenyans citizens -he can't dare sign on it
Why are people surprised that Kibaki and Kalonzo did not sign the declaration? They are busy jetting in and out of the country seeking legitimacy and recognition from this and that conference. Two useless and spineless people in the name of leaders - thank God for Raila.
ReplyDeleteThat is bold and surely worthy statement from Kenya. Who else or rather which other African country has as much as given such statement? AU, UN and the world waits until the Zimbabwe crisis reaches the Kenyan January status before intervening. What is Ban Ki Moon of the UN saying? Why is the world always reactive and not proactive? In the end those who are leaders in world political organisations will carry all the blame for what happens to the people of Zimbabwe.
ReplyDeleteWhat do I suggest?
¤ UN and AU immediately convene special session on Zimbabwe.
¤World leaders issue their statements on Zimbabwe. ¤Officially threaten Zimbabwe with military action for undemocratic election and repression of the people.
¤Prepare for direct military intervention.
mothers, fathers uncles unties, cousins, friends want their sons produced in court- pnu insisted that they youths had to go through the court process and yet they can't produce them in court-
ReplyDeletekenyans now are asking where are all the youths picked starting by the police from 27th December 2007 and this continued with the army in Mt. Elgon- ODM is under pressure from families to produce their sons- and PNU is stating that they have no idea where they are and they only have 130 in jail- the list of youths names from parents now run to 4000?? so where are they?? where is Saitoti, the police and the army hiding them if indeed they are?? what exactly happened to this youths?? In Mt. Elgon forest Villagers looking for firewood have claimed coming across may shallow graves and are scared to come out in the open to report??
what is ODM doing to investigate this reports?? what happened to all those youths that were picked up by PNU?? is it going to be another execution like the mungiki youths like in early 2007?? remember some are still missing??
ODM has to demand for the youths to appear in court to see what charges are against them if they are still alive- in order for families to be reassured - hell id breaking loose- parents want to know where their children were taken- i don't blame them after what the kibaki narc government did to the mungiki youths- do you??
Raila is now the official parrot of the west in Africa. Explains a lot of what happened earlier this year especially the stand by the Americans and the British.
ReplyDeleteAnd for a man who owes his position to the deaths,rape and displacement of hundreds of thousands of women and children, am not sure he is in a position to accuse anyone of the same, especially given that not even Mugabe has murdered as many innocent people as he has from 1982
I have just read an interesting article by Charles Onyango Obbo about the good side of Mugabe...And this one stood out compared to Mobutu Mugabe grabbed only one wife...LOL
ReplyDeleteMugabe is known to have fought independence we thank God for that...But so that he could unleash the militia on his own people to maim and massacre them, hear what the teachers are going through, so the Zims are willing to keep their land and they remain dunders...A good scenario the indians dont own land in Kenya and they are doing well,A fool with 10 acres of land will amass nothing, he will still be at zero. Some years back the whites owned the land but Zimbabwe were good exporters, now they have all the land and they can do nothing with it.
Why is Mbeki so scared of Mugabe? Beats me?
Can the same be said of Mugabe...He had the support of the masses but couldn't respect their wishes.....
Did i hear Mugabe blasting RAO y'day?
Papa Plus i hear you well "all talk no action" is their something else that we can do? I am not sure unless we drive down there and blindfold him and bring him here in Kamiti maximum or mathare. Otherwise Mugabe knows no threats and fears none even God. Sanctions have been imposed lakini habanduki and he does n't give a damn.
I wonder where Makoni is in all these..I hear he wants a power deal...LOL
May God help Zimbabwe
Ivy
Anonymous said 8.56 pm said that:
ReplyDeleteRaila is now the official parrot of the west in Africa. Explains a lot of what happened earlier this year especially the stand by the Americans and the British.
Mandela has said that:
"We watch with sadness the continuing tragedy in Darfur. Nearer to home we have seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighbouring Zimbabwe."
Our comment:
Does your statement apply to Mandela as well? In any case, how does condemning Mugabe's brutality amount to being a puppet?
It is true that the west want Mugabe out for a different reason that the zimbaweans want him out....
ReplyDeleteAfrican leaders have feared that the west may have their way in zims and the poor zimbos will end up being pawns of the west to father their influence in Africa and especially SA thats why Mbeki is not keen on that Tsvangerai fellow.
RAO wanting Bob out does not necessarily mean he is doing it at the behest of the west....there is a genuine concern for the people of zimbabwe, tough the west don't mind him putting on pressure if declarations matter to Uncle Bob that is.
Bob should go, no doubt about that...Question is who will rule zim when Bob is out? The zims or the West through a puppet....
Let the zimbabweans decide that, at least for now they don't want bob and he should respect their wishes even if they are leading themselve right back to colonialism.....
It is this attitude that of "because I know best I should not allow you do decide....that Kibabi attitude that creates problems in africa.
RESPECT the people's choice. If you can't sell your idea no matter how genuine too baad, well you can sit on people for the duration of your term and do the best you can to implement your plan but if they vote you out you MUST LEAVE!!!
That is RAOs point!!!
Sir Alex
Shame on African leaders for not doing or even saying anything to help the people of Zimbabwe. Raila was the first true African leader to castigate Mugabe and his dictatorial and fraudulent antic's - having been a victim of the same primitive behavior from Kibaki and his cabal of Mt Kenya retards.
ReplyDeleteKibaki, his buddy Moi and other African leaders opted to remain "silent". But anyway, how does one expect Kibaki (and his buddy Moi) to help in any way in the Zimbabwe circus when he did something similar to Kenya by BRAZENLY STEALING THE DEC '07 ELECTIONS. The old African leaders have been a big let down to Africa. They have been a very selfish, greedy and incompetent lot.
Shame on African leaders for not doing or even saying anything to help the people of Zimbabwe. Raila was the first true African leader to castigate Mugabe and his dictatorial and fraudulent antic's - having been a victim of the same primitive behavior from Kibaki and his cabal of Mt Kenya retards.
ReplyDeleteKibaki, his buddy Moi and other African leaders opted to remain "silent". But anyway, how does one expect Kibaki (and his buddy Moi) to help in any way in the Zimbabwe circus when he did something similar to Kenya by BRAZENLY STEALING THE DEC '07 ELECTIONS. The old African leaders have been a big let down to Africa. They have been a very selfish, greedy and incompetent lot.
RAO has taught Wetungula how to be a civilized and responsible politician.
ReplyDeleteThe other leader who calls himself principal still lives in darkness and needs a lesson too. RAO, please lend a hand.
KENYANS HAVE NO MORAL AUTHORITY TO CRITICISE ZIMBABAWEANS OR MUGABE , AS FAR AS IAM CONCERNED WE ARE NOT ANY BETTER , DID WE NOT ACCEPT RESULTS OF A SHAM ELECTION , DID WE NOT HAVE 120% VOTER TURN OUT IN SOME AREAS , THE ONLY DIFFRENCE BTWN KIBAKI AND MUGABE IS THEY CAN PARTICPATE IN A GAME SHOW CALLED "WHO IS UGLIER NOW" WITH BOTH OF THEM CONTESTING FOR WHO IS UGLIER THAN THE OTHER.
ReplyDelete