VZCZCXRO1657
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHNR #2575/01 1721003
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211003Z JUN 07
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0531
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NAIROBI 002575 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12058:N/A 
TAGS: PREL KE PGOV KCRM KWMN SNAR PHUM PTER
SUBJECT:  Ambassador's Visit to the Kenyan Coast 
 
REF: A) NAIROBI 2567 B) NAIROBI 2449 C) NAIROBI 1832 
D) NAIROBI 2118 E) NAIROBI 2506 
 
1.Summary: The Ambassador's visit to the north-central 
Kenyan coastal area of Malindi and Kilifi revealed a 
region buffeted by a host of problems - poor 
infrastructure, tremendous poverty, narcotics and human 
trafficking, and environmental degradation - amidst 
growing tourism.  Tourist-related tax revenues flow to 
the central government and have not been plowed back into 
the local economy.  The indigenous coastal population 
feels marginalized.  The Muslim community in the area is 
generally regarded as moderate and tolerant, and there is 
good Muslim-Christian collaboration.  Coastal security is 
a focus of U.S. and Kenyan efforts, but much more remains 
to be done.  End summary. 
 
¶2. During June 10-14, the Ambassador visited the north- 
central coastal region of Malindi and Kilifi.  This was 
the Ambassador's fourth visit to the coast since arriving 
at post nine months ago.  The purposes were to: 
intensify efforts to combat trafficking in persons (ref 
A); emphasize the importance of conducting transparent 
and credible elections; explore reports of increased 
narcotics trafficking; conduct outreach to Muslim and 
Christian groups; focus attention on coastal security 
issues; and promote gender equity. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Tourism, Infrastructure, and Poverty 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. Tourism is the most important economic activity in the 
area, as it is throughout the coast.  Malindi generates 
about 60 percent of the coast's tourist revenue.  Luxury 
resorts dot the coastline. Malindi has a large permanent 
Italian community, which generates significant income for 
the area through construction of villas and operation of 
businesses.   The increasing amount of sex tourism and 
related trafficking is of great concern to local 
authorities, the private sector, and non-governmental 
groups (ref A).  All realize that sex tourism - and the 
related issue of narcotics trafficking - could drive away 
legitimate tourism. 
 
¶4. The deplorable state of the infrastructure, which 
limits the potential for expanding tourism to world-class 
proportions, was dramatically evident during the 
Ambassador's drive to Malindi from Nairobi.  While about 
two-thirds of the road from Nairobi has been refurbished 
by the Chinese and EU, the last third of the road, and 
the road between Mombasa and Malindi, are in deplorable 
condition.  Local officials said that they receive almost 
none of the tax revenue generated by tourism, which goes 
to the central government. 
 
¶5. Another important point of economic note is the harsh 
reality that the local population does not benefit much 
from either tourism or industry.  Virtually all of the 
tourist hotels are owned by foreign enterprises, Coastal 
Arab and the dominant Kikuyu community of central Kenya 
owns much of the land.  This has led to many locals 
inhabiting land as squatters, in defiance of Government 
efforts to protect the "absentee landlords", who are 
politically well connected. 
 
¶6. One graphic example of marginalization of the local 
population is evident in salt production.  This important 
activity in the Malindi area is controlled by Arab, 
Indian, and Kikuyu interests.  The intensive manual labor 
work harvesting the salt from pits is done by a local 
labor force that is paid about 3-4 dollars a day.  The 
powerful owners have managed to impede any formation of 
labor unions.  (A report of the Kenyan Human Rights 
Commission in 2005 called attention to these abuses.) 
Civil society and private sector leaders told the 
Ambassador that Malindi and Kilifi are the most 
impoverished areas of Kenya (this claim is also made by 
leaders in far west Nyanza province and the often 
forgotten northern half of Kenya).  That poverty, they 
pointed out, forces young girls to drop out of school and 
engage in illicit sex with tourists as well as 
encouraging early marriage, which is a tolerated local 
custom.  As a remedy, the community is increasingly 
working together to promote education.  In addition to 
all these challenges, the region suffers from 
environmental degradation which is eroding beaches. 
 
¶7. Sadly, the rich history of the Malindi area is poorly 
preserved.  The museum houses a small collection of 
artifacts.  The pillar that Vasco da Gama built when he 
landed in 1498 still survives, however, as does a small 
rectangular thatched-roof church that he constructed. 
 
NAIROBI 00002575  002 OF 004 
 
 
The old town has not been preserved, though in some spots 
homes are being rehabilitated in the traditional Swahili 
style. 
 
---------------------- 
Muslims and Christians 
---------------------- 
 
¶8. It is important to remember, when discussing the 
coast, that the population is about evenly divided 
between Muslims and Christians.  Christian leaders noted 
that, while this is true, Muslims tend to dominate the 
society because they own most of the businesses and are 
far wealthier than the Christian community. It's useful 
to remember that the ten-mile wide coastal strip had at 
one time been controlled by the Omani Sultanate until the 
British gained effective control.  In fact, at 
independence, there was serious sentiment on the coast 
that this strip, given its unique history and identity, 
should have an autonomous status within Kenya. Also, the 
British had declared the 10-mile strip royal land.  (ref 
B).  The indigenous population of the coast complains 
that their marginalization is due to secret deals between 
the British and the Kikuyu leadership that gave huge 
amounts of local land to that non-coastal tribe at the 
time of independence.) Muslim influence is also felt 
through their madrasa schools, which many children attend 
because of the poor quality of public schools. 
 
¶9. The District Commissioner of Malindi characterized the 
Muslim community as relatively moderate and quiet with 
respect to political issues.  The Mayor of Malindi noted 
that the Muslim community cooperates closely with the 
police on anti-terrorism issues. He indicated that 
radical foreign preachers sometimes appear in the 
community, but are quickly marginalized by the local 
Muslim leadership and the authorities. Christian 
religious leaders tended to confirm this.  They noted 
that outside radical preachers, especially Pakistanis, 
evangelize openly, but said that the national Supreme 
Council of Muslims (Supkem) is working to control this. 
Supkem now requires all outside preachers to be 
authorized by them and by the Council of Imams.  Outside 
influence is also evident from the number of impressive 
mosques often built with funding from Saudi Arabia and 
other countries. The Mayor (himself a Christian) urged 
that more U.S. military civic action programs be carried 
out in the region, particularly in Muslim areas. 
Christians comprise about 60 percent of the population in 
the Malindi area.  Civil society leaders confirmed to the 
Ambassador that the Muslim community is tolerant and 
inter-mingled with the Christian community, including 
through inter-marriage. 
 
¶10. A group of Christian religious leaders told the 
Ambassador about the Coastal Inter-faith Council.  The 
Council, composed of Christian and Muslim leaders, has 
been very active in helping resolve conflict situations. 
They are also working to combat drug abuse and sex 
tourism. 
 
¶11. The Ambassador visited a technical training institute 
run by a Muslim community organization.  The institute 
provides vocational training to young men and women, both 
Muslim and Christian.  The U.S. has provided some 
support.  The institute also receives support from a 
private U.S. group based in Nashville.  The Ambassador 
held a town hall meeting with the students. 
 
¶12. The Ambassador held a frank one and a half hour 
meeting with 20 Muslim leaders.  The general view was 
positive towards the U.S., with requests that the U.S. do 
more to support educational and community development 
projects, and to expand exchange programs.  Notably, they 
expressed interest in obtaining assistance from U.S. 
military civic action teams.  They welcomed news that the 
U.S. hopes soon to open a consulate on the coast and 
requested that a U.S. information center (American 
Corners) be established in Malindi.  Only one or two 
interlocutors sounded negative notes through provocative 
questions concerning Iraq and Middle East policy.  The 
Ambassador addressed these, and welcomed the frankness of 
the dialogue.  Some concerns were expressed that the U.S. 
was orchestrating Kenyan anti-terror operations on the 
coast in which various people had been detained, 
allegedly illegally.  The Ambassador made clear that the 
U.S. is not orchestrating such actions, and emphasized 
the U.S. commitment to ensuring respect for the rule of 
law. 
 
---------------- 
Coastal Security 
---------------- 
 
NAIROBI 00002575  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶13. The progressive woman District Commissioner of 
Malindi provided an impressive overview of issues facing 
the region.  We had recently sponsored her visit to the 
U.S. to help advance our Coastal Security Initiative with 
the Kenyan government.  The coastal security efforts 
focus on strengthening the Kenyans' ability to police 
their coastline and borders given the threat posed by 
terrorist activity stemming from Al Qaeda presence in 
East Africa.  Through a combination of ATA and military 
assistance, we have provided patrol boats for the navy 
and police, training for professionalization, and other 
assistance.  The District Commissioner noted that the 
Office of President Kibaki is providing strong support 
for the coastal security efforts, and participates in the 
Coastal Security Working Group.  The Mayor of Malindi 
also demonstrated strong awareness of the priority that 
needs to be given to security.  He is promoting a civic 
education campaign to increase public understanding of 
the issue.  The Mayor noted the dangerous spillover 
effect from Somalia, pointing out that Malindi is barely 
two hours from Somalia by dhow.  He also cited the large 
amount of illegal firearms entering Kenya by boat from 
Somalia.  The District Commissioner of Kilifi focused on 
concerns about terrorism.  He pointed out that the site 
of the 2002 Kikambala bombings is only about 20 minutes 
drive from Kilifi. 
 
---------------------- 
Narcotics Trafficking 
---------------------- 
 
¶14. All interlocutors cited increased narcotics 
trafficking as a major problem.  While all maintained 
that those behind the trafficking remain shadowy, they 
admitted that the spillover from narcotics trafficking 
has in recent years created a major problem with drug 
abuse.  They noted that, despite assistance that has been 
provided through the coastal security initiative, 
security forces have little capacity to interdict small 
boats that deliver drugs from mother ships (Malindi has 
no commercial port).  (A security plan for the port of 
Mombasa has been drafted.) The Mayor of Malindi discussed 
at length his concerns about narcotics trafficking.  He 
said that he has seen families of close friends torn 
apart by drug abuse.  While efforts to stop narcotics 
trafficking have not been effective, he is encouraged by 
the public response to the problem.  There is a 
burgeoning effort to educate young people about the evils 
of drugs.  Community elders have formed a group called 
Malindians Against Drugs.  The Mayor appealed for more 
help to promote awareness and rehabilitation for addicts. 
The Muslim community is particularly active against 
narcotics trafficking.  The Omari Project, a Muslim-led, 
highly effective drug rehabilitation program on the 
coast, receives USAID funding.  The District Commissioner 
of Kilifi also focused on the problem of narcotics 
trafficking. 
 
-------------------------- 
Politics and Gender Equity 
-------------------------- 
 
¶15. Malindi is generally regarded as a pro-opposition 
area. The Mayor of Malindi, elected to the town council 
and chosen by them as mayor, was affiliated with the 
governing NARC coalition but is now considered part of 
the opposition.  He recognized progress made by the 
Kibaki administration against corruption and in support 
of economic growth, but also lamented the lack of 
constitutional reform.  He emphasized that Kenya must 
have a federal system in order to ensure that 
marginalized areas like Malindi receive fair treatment. 
 
¶16. Some interlocutors claimed that government resources 
were used to influence the outcome of the recent by- 
election in the area in favor of the pro-government 
candidate (refs C & D).  One Member of Parliament and two 
civic leaders who met with the Ambassador - including the 
subject of these allegations - discussed the campaign and 
convincingly described broad support for the winner who 
received more votes then the second and third place 
candidates together.  The MPs also discussed the 
continuing problem of tribalism in this area of the 
coast, noting that most of the local conflicts stem from 
disputes over land ownership, business, and access to 
grazing and water resources. 
 
¶17. The Malindi District Commissioner commented that 
President Kibaki appears to be following through on his 
commitment to make at least one-third of all new 
government hires women.  She said she does not have any 
problems, as a woman, with the Muslim community. 
 
NAIROBI 00002575  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
-------------------- 
Peace Corps Programs 
-------------------- 
 
¶18. Several Peace Corps volunteers described to the 
Ambassador the excellent work they are doing.  One is 
working with the Malindi handicrafts project in 
successfully identifying markets in the U.S.  Another 
volunteer, a Muslim, is helping a dairy cooperative and 
has taken the initiative to reach out to the Muslim 
community.  Her positive descriptions of the life of 
Muslims in the U.S. have proved very enlightening for the 
local community, she commented. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶19. That local officials have a clear sense of the 
problems they must address and seem determined to so do 
reflects, in part, the Kibaki government's performance- 
based civil service reform process (ref B).  The resource 
constraints are staggering, however, and impede effective 
action.  The government's focus on improving coastal 
security is a bright spot, and U.S. assistance is 
helping, but much more remains to be done.  Doing so is 
key to helping combat a range of problems: human 
trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and insecurity with 
respect to illegal entry of small arms and countering 
terrorism.  Muslims and Christians are united by a strong 
desire to fight these scourges and determination to 
overcome the historical marginalization of the area. 
They appreciate U.S. engagement and are enthusiastically 
open to more. 
RANNEBERGER