Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Things looking a little tricky here on the Kenyan front.




Well rallying for the elections is officially over as it is illegal for any politicians to be hold rallies on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

They seemed to have solved this however by going to church and having a quick preach there instead - just in case anyone hasn't yet got the point.

Talking to friends yesterday and listening to all the news stories that are flowing hot and fast now as we run up to the last few hours before voting, things I think could turn a little tricky.

It seems that the opposition party with Raila in charge is getting ahead in the polls and yet the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki I've heard has got a few little tricks up his sleeve.

I am assured seeing as there are so many international observers in situ that the chances of rigging are slim but I'm far too cynical and am far from convinced. I have been told by someone who is a member of Kibaki's youth group that they have got half a million voters on the register that are actually dead - so they are taking those votes as guaranteed for Kibaki!

I'm really not sure how it works and if they can get away with this extra half a million votes, but in a nation where there is less than 14 Million voters registered and of that number the people who will actually vote on the day will certainly not be anywhere near 100%, then this half a million extra people who don't actually exist are really going to count - if these Kibaki fellows get them slotted in?

Personally I can't see Kibaki not rigging it if he needs to seeing as he is still the one currently sitting in State House, has appointed the election commission personally, and I understand has made the KICC - which is where the election commission is based and from where they will announce the final results - off limits to everyone for the next few days. (The opposition party has already started jumping up and down about rigging already and we haven't even opened the polling stations yet.)

My worry is that i think there will be some serious trouble if Kibaki wins, as it will immediately be seen as unfair - although if the polls are right, these main two are actually still quite close - the opposition keeps dismissing those polls as a load of rubbish unless they are confirmed as having a large majority. And I can't see Kibaki not winning at this stage with whatever means he has to.
I do hope I'm over-reacting here, and that things will be peaceful, and whoever wins will do so fairly and squarely, but right now I'm not entirely convinced.

I'll keep you posted!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes yes its true,kibaki has already been defeated,it poor advice from his colleagues and former president moi who are misguiding him to resort to rigging knowing well it will result in political chaos,he shoul use godly advice that says give the people what they want...the people want raila and his pentagon team, this is machination by PNU and KANU to plunge the country into civil strife with the eventual balme on raila odinga,it will not succeed in their favour as raila has come from very far with all this.

Mzungu Chick said...

Thanks Vinnie for your comment. I can see you are all for the ODM change - I do hope it is a peaceful one and there is no chaos of any kind.

Anonymous said...

Hey there,

Just found your blog and thought you may like to help out some guys who are doing a reality show in kenya, this is the link to their site: http://aroundtheworldforfree.com/

they are in Kenya as we speak (27 Dec 07)and may need accommodation and food. Please view the link watch the video and if you can help register an account on the site, post me a message, in the video of today 27th and i will contact you again with more details via the site- regards Simonb.

Mzungu Chick said...

Hi Simon,
Just seen your comment but can't get onto the site as using my phone and it doesn't seem to like it much.
Not sure i can help but perhaps if you give me details of what, where and how.