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UNCLAS NAIROBI 004756 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL KE
SUBJECT:  U.S. Support for Kenya's Electoral Process 
 
REF: NAIROBI 1669 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY & INTRODUCTION: In the run up to Kenya's 27 
December presidential and parliamentary elections, the USG is 
heavily engaged to support a free and fair electoral process in 
order to preserve, broaden and deepen Kenya?s democratic gains (see 
 
also reftel).  Given indications that the vote will be close and 
potentially contentious, the US Mission is also acting in 
conjunction with efforts by Kenya's vibrant press, civil society, 
and credible electoral commission to discourage violence and 
irregularities.  END SUMMARY & INTRODUCTION. 
 
UNDP Multi-Donor Election Assistance Program: 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) The United States is the largest donor to UNDP's $11.3 
million comprehensive election assistance program, providing nearly 
 
$3 million of funding.  There are components of the program focused 
 
on combating election-related violence, which include working with 
the Electoral Commission of Kenya's (ECK) district-level Peace 
Committees to receive early warning of potential conflicts and to 
respond to incidents of violence.  Other key elements of the program 
 
include civic education, media training and monitoring of media 
coverage, and enhancing the effectiveness of domestic observation 
efforts.  As USAID/Kenya's Democracy & Governance officer is the 
lead coordinator for all/all donor related election activity, USAID 
 
represents the donors on the joint ECK/Donor Steering Committee 
managing this program. 
 
Election Observers: 
------------------ 
 
¶3.  (U) The Mission is funding an international election observer 
team headed by the International Republican Institute (IRI). The 
team will have about 20 members, and will be headed by former 
Assistant Secretary Constance Newman.  This team will be 
strategically deployed to high-profile locations and will coordinate 
 
with other international observer missions being fielded by the EU 
and the Commonwealth. 
 
¶4.  (U) In addition to the international team, we will field over 50 
 
three-member teams of Mission observers (American and Kenyan staff). 
 
Locations for deployment focus on election "hot spots" where we 
anticipate the greatest potential for violence or other 
irregularities as well as constituencies with viable women 
candidates. As circumstances on the ground evolve, we can continue 
to adjust our deployment strategy. 
 
¶5.  (U) As part of the Mission's election assistance program, we are 
 
providing training and assistance to local NGOs who will be fielding 
 
domestic observer teams. Training and assistance will be provided 
via the UNDP program to the thirteen Kenyan local civil society 
organizations that have formed the Kenyan Domestic Observers Forum 
(KEDOF). KEDOF members will deploy observers to the field and are 
monitoring issues related to violence and women's participation in 
the political process. 
 
Support to the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK): 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.  (U) Developing the capacity of the Electoral Commission of Kenya 
 
(ECK) lies at the heart of our strategy. The USG funded 
International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) has been 
providing support to the ECK since late 2001.  Activities focus on 
providing appropriate technology for more efficient and transparent 
 
elections administration while improving the skills of the ECK 
technical staff.  This support additionally includes capacity 
building and technical assistance to support election 
administration. Technical assistance includes computerization of the 
Procurement and Supplies Department, which is responsible for 
printing and distributing election materials.  Assistance will also 
 
support implementation of the ECK's restructuring plan, 
strengthening logistics capacity, and accelerating the transmission 
 
and display of results. 
 
Public Outreach and Advocacy: 
---------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) The Ambassador has made several high-profile speeches and 
routinely appears on radio, television and the press to emphasize 
the importance of ensuring that the democratic process in Kenya is 
credible and free from violence, intimidation, and hate speech.  As 
 
described below, the Mission has reacted swiftly and publicly to 
violence and intimidation directed towards women political 
candidates.  We have also reacted to other recent acts of political 
 
violence in the same fashion and will continue to do so. 
 
¶8.  (U) In addition to regularly engaging the press and meeting with 
 
civil society, we also continue to meet privately with senior 
leadership of key parties and with individual candidates to urge 
them to adhere to the election code of conduct and to speak out 
against violence and hate speech.  It is encouraging that President 
 
Kibaki and challenger Raila Odinga each made very strong, non- 
partisan statements this week about ending violence in Kuresoi.  We 
 
have also brought specific instances of electoral malpractice to the 
 
attention of both camps.  When speakers at a pro-Raila rally on the 
 
coast used ethnically inflammatory language, we reported this to the 
 
party leadership.  When we observed provincial officials in a remote 
 
area acting on behalf of the President's party in a blatantly 
partisan manner, we reported that abuse both to party and government 
 
officials.  There have been other such interventions as well. 
 
¶9.  (U) On October 9, the Mission launched the anti-violence "Umoja 
 
Pamoja" ('Oneness, Togetherness') campaign, which reached out to 
youth with a concert by popular Kenyan performers and an original 
song on the theme of unity and peaceful participation in politics. 
The music video of the "Umoja Pamoja" song is being used as an 
outreach tool and youth are encouraged to sign the accompanying 
pledge of non-violence. The two-month program is working with up to 
 
41 local NGO partners to conduct voter education in all 210 
constituencies. 
 
¶10.  (U) On October 1, the Ambassador joined with more than 20 other 
 
heads of mission in a joint statement emphasizing the diplomatic 
community's neutral stance in Kenya's elections and the need for a 
peaceful electoral process.  The group also presented a statement of 
 
electoral principles. 
 
Promoting and Protecting Women Candidates 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶11.  (U) The Mission has been active in promoting the right of women 
 
to run for public office.  Unfortunately in Kenya, women candidates 
 
for political party nominations have been attacked and/or 
intimidated. In the wake of one such attack, the Ambassador visited 
 
the victim at bedside and gave strongly worded remarks condemning 
the attack and reaffirming the right of women (and of all Kenyans) 
to stand for political office free of intimidation and violence. The 
 
remarks were widely covered in the Kenyan media and generated public 
 
censure of the attack (reftel B). 
 
¶12.  (U) The Mission is funding a political parties strengthening 
program implemented by NDI.  The program emphasizes the role of 
women in Kenyan political parties and seeks to make party operations 
 
more transparent so women can compete on a level playing field. 
Over the past year, the program has also provided leadership 
training for 204 women party members. 
 
¶13.  (U) At the community level, the Mission's efforts have 
successflly increased women's participation in District Peace 
Committees (DPCs) in North Eastern Province, previously an exclusive 
 
male domain. While at the national level, the Mission's political 
parties strengthening program encourages active participation of 
women in decision making structures and procedures. To date, four 
political parties receiving such assistance have developed 
strategies on affirmative action for women. 
 
¶14.  (U) Against this backdrop, on December 10 we garnered 
nationwide publicity for a summit of over 100 women MP candidates 
who assembled at the Ambassador's residence to raise awareness for 
prevention of violence and other issues surrounding women's 
participation in Kenyan politics. 
 
Public Opinion Polling: 
----------------------- 
 
¶15.  (U) The Mission is funding national public opinion polling to 
increase the availability of objective and reliable data and to 
provide an independent source of verification of electoral outcomes 
 
via exit polls. The implementing partner is IRI. 
 
¶16.  (SBU) In addition, we were concerned that other widely 
published public opinion polls, which showed ODM's Raila Odinga well 
 
ahead of President Kibaki, did not accurately reflect the true 
status of the contest.  Given the rising political temperature, 
partially due to use of blatant ethnic appeals by both sides, we 
were concerned about the reaction of ODM supporters should their 
candidate lose in a close outcome when they were led by public 
opinion polls to expect a landslide victory.  The solution involved 
 
quietly reaching out to polling firms and their clients to suggest 
that poll sampling distribution should be based on the regional 
distribution of registered voters, not on raw population. Today, the 
 
major polling firms have all adjusted their sampling and limited 
their responses to those who at least claim to be registered voters. 
 
 
Strengthening Political Parties: 
-------------------------------- 
¶17.  (U) The Mission supports a political parties strengthening 
program implemented by the National Democratic Institute. The 
program emphasizes the role of women and youth in political 
parties.  In the past year alone, 204 women participated in 
 
leadership training.  We are confident that women will continue 
to hold more prominent leadership positions, both given the 
elections and the recently enacted Political Party Financing 
Legislation and we will continue to support political parities 
with an emphasis on the role women play in such organizations. 
¶18.  (U) Taken together these efforts make the U.S. a key player 
in helping influence the electoral process in a constructive 
direction. 
 
RANNEBERGER