O 161458Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4259
INFO AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 
CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY 4226

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC CASC KE PGOV PREF
SUBJECT: KENYA:  JANUARY 16, 2008 STATUS REPORT 
 
REF: NAIROBI 148 AND PREVIOUS 
 
¶1.  AS OF 01/16 1800 HOURS (NAIROBI TIME): 
 
SECURITY SITUATION:  HEAVY RAIN AND ODM'S SUCCESS YESTERDAY 
IN ELECTING ITS CANDIDATES FOR SPEAKER AND DEPUTY SPEAKER OF 
PARLIAMENT MAY HAVE TAKEN SOME STEAM OUT OF THE 
DEMONSTRATIONS TODAY.  IN NAIROBI, DEMONSTRATORS BEGAN TO 
MOBILIZE AROUND 1400; POLICE CORDONED OFF ACCESS TO UHURU 
PARK/CITY CENTER AND PREVENTED DEMONSTRATORS FROM ENTERING 
THE AREA.  GROUPS RANGING FROM 30 TO 300 MARCHING TOWARD CITY 
CENTER HAVE BEEN DISPERSED BY POLICE AND GSU WITHOUT DAMAGE 
OR CASUALTY.  SKIRMISHES BETWEEN POLICE AND GANGS OF YOUTH 
(BURNING TIRES ON THE ROAD) NEAR KIBERA WERE DISPERSED 
WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE MAJOR PROBLEM NOW IS TRAFFIC/COMMUTER 
SNARLS. IN RIFT VALLEY/ELDORET, LARGE AND PEACEFUL CROWD 
CONVERGED AND MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS. BY 1600 HOURS, 
CROWDS WERE DISPERSING BACK TO RESIDENTIAL AREAS. POLICE 
DISPERSED DEMONSTRATORS WITH TEARGAS IN CENTRAL MOMBASA; AS 
OF 1530, RELATIVE CALM. UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF HOUSE BURNINGS 
AND ONE DEATH IN KITALE (WESTERN PROVINCE) OVERNIGHT AS 
KALENJIN AND LUO GANGS CONTINUE TO TARGET KIKUYU RESIDENTS. 
 
IN NYANZA/KISUMU, POLICE USED TEAR GAS TO REPULSE LARGE 
CROWDS; SPORADIC SKIMISHES BETWEEN POLICE AND CROWDS IN PARTS 
OF KISUMU, AHERO (15 KM FROM KISUMU) AND ALONG THE ROAD TO 
KAKAMEGA.  PRESS REPORTS OF TWO DEATHS AND SEVEN INJURIES AT 
END OF THE DAY. SHOPS IN DOWNTOWN KISUMU WERE CLOSED; NO 
LOOTING. CDC PERSONNEL REPORT THAT AS OF 1700 HOURS, CITY IS 
QUIET. 
 
ODM RAILA ODINGA ANNOUNCED THIS AFTERNOON THAT THE RALLIES 
WILL CONTINUE TOMORROW AND FRIDAY, SO WE CAN EXPECT MORE 
TRAFFIC DISRUPTIONS, SHOP CLOSURES, AND SKIRMISHES BETWEEN 
DEMONSTRATORS AND POLICE/GSU. 
 
POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:  FORMER SG KOFI ANNAN POSTPONED HIS 
ARRIVAL FOR HEALTH REASONS. 
HE IS EXPECTED IN NAIROBI TOMORROW OR FRIDAY. AFTER ELECTING 
ITS SPEAKER AND DEPUTY SPEAKER, 
PARLIAMENT ADJOURNED TODAY, UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR SESSION IN 
MARCH. 
 
MISSION PERSONNEL:  EMBASSY -- AND CDC AND MRU OFFICES -- IN 
NAIROBI AND KISUMU WERE OPEN 
FOR BUSINESS TODAY AND WILL BE TOMORROW.  ALL OFFICIAL 
AMERICANS AND FSN/LES EMPLOYEES ARE 
ACCOUNTED FOR; AGENCY AND SECTION HEADS HAVE BEEN REMINDED TO 
NOTIFY AND MAINTAIN CONTACT 
WITH TDY VISITORS. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA, CLOSED 
TODAY, WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW. 
ROSSLYN ACADEMY WILL BE ON HALF-DAY SCHEDULE THROUGH THE END 
OF THE WEEK. 
 
AMCITS:  NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES TO DATE. AMBASSADOR HAS 
SCHEDULED A TOWN HALL MEETING 
WITH NON-OFFICIAL AMERICANS FOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 18. 
 
RANNEBERGER