VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #0477/01 0441345
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131345Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4687

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS, AF/E, AF/EX, CA/OCS/ACS, DS/IP/AF 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ASEC AMGT CASC PGOV EAID ECON PHUM PREL KE
SUBJECT: KENYA - FEBRUARY 13 SITREP 
 
REF: A. NAIROBI 379, B. NAIROBI 378, C. NAIROBI 370, D. NAIROBI 367 
 
SENSITIVE-BUT-UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR RELEASE OUTSIDE USG CHANNELS. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS:  The Kofi Annan-led negotiations 
made limited progress on Monday, February 11, as both sides were 
busy consulting with MPs who were assembled in Nairobi in advance of 
an informal session of parliament scheduled for the following day. 
(Comment: We consider this consultation and briefing of MPs as a 
necessary step and do not consider it to be lost time or a negative. 
End comment).  On February 12, Kofi Annan did in fact hold open- and 
closed-door sessions with MPs to brief them on the status of 
power-sharing negotiations during which he noted that a coalition 
government and new elections were one solution to Kenya's political 
impasse, a statement that generated protest from Justice Minister 
and PNU negotiator Martha Karua and a group of 75 PNU MPs.  Ruffled 
feathers were smoothed over by mid-day today (February 13), however, 
when Kofi Annan announced in a press statement that talks were 
proceeding satisfactorily and that all parties understood he was 
only suggesting a possible solution.  Annan continues to predict an 
agreement by week's end. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SECURITY SITUATION: The security situation throughout 
Kenya has markedly improved over the past week, but anxiety 
surrounds the outcome of talks lead by Kofi Annan.  While Kisumu and 
Kericho have remained quiet, police contacts there voice concerns 
that should the results or progression of the talks not be perceived 
as favorable to the local populace in these areas, fresh violence 
will erupt. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) U.S. MISSION POSTURE: Six USDH emergency personnel are 
deployed to the authorized departure area of Kisumu and environs. 
CDC has three USDH in Kisumu, and MRU has two USDH in Kisumu and one 
in Kericho.  Their deployment was approved on Monday by the 
Ambassador upon the recommendation of a Kisumu EAC meeting held 
earlier in the day.  Today, the approval for their deployment was 
extended through Friday.  All emergency personnel will return to 
Nairobi on Friday and stand fast.  The USAID OFDA field assessment 
team flew commercial air into Eldoret today.  They will travel by 
road through Nakuru and Naivasha, returning to Nairobi on Saturday. 
In Nairobi, USG offices at the Gigiri Chancery compound and 
CDC/KEMRI compound are operating normally.  International School of 
Kenya and Rosslyn Academy are open and buses are running without 
disruption.  Power, water, and communications are fully operational. 
 In-country travel policy is in effect and all personnel and family 
members are accounted for. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) HUMANITARIAN SITUATION: Over the weekend, U.N. 
Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes reported that there are as many 
as 600,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from post-election 
violence.  Official Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and Government of 
Kenya figures continue to point to approximately 300,000 IDPs. 
However, this figure reflects only those people who have transited 
or are residing in IDP camps.  The 600,000 figure attempts to 
include those people who fled directly to host families or 
communities without transiting an IDP camp.  As of February 12, KRCS 
reports that 300 IDPs residing in Rift Valley Province have migrated 
to Kieni Forest in Gatundu District in Central Province over the 
past few weeks.  KRCS has been providing food and plans to 
distribute emergency relief supplies, including blankets and 
mattresses, to displaced populations.  The U.N. World Food Program 
(WFP) and U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) are in the process of 
conducting assessments to identify gaps and needs.   On February 11, 
the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team returned to Chief's Camp 
in East Nairobi, next to Muthare slum.  The team reported that 
approximately 370 IDPs are residing in the area, approximately the 
same number of people as during the earlier visit in mid-January. 
The team noted that an additional 300 non-resident women and 
children visit the camp for food distributions.  According to the 
team, conditions at the camp had improved since the earlier visit. 
Access to water on site continues to be a problem, as residents 
reported difficulties in connecting large water tanks to the 
municipal water supply.  Most residents reportedly got water from 
the nearby police station. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) U.S. CITIZENS:  Consular wardens from Rift Valley, Nyanza 
and Western provinces reporting calm, quiet and that life is back to 
normal.  All report that schools, businesses and government offices 
are open and functioning normally.  None reported illegal 
roadblocks.  Kisumu and Eldoret reported that the airports were open 
and that access to the airports is unrestricted.  The warden in 
Kisumu further reported that his organization made an overland 
circuit ride to several affiliated organizations throughout Nyanza 
and Western provinces.  He reported no problems (roadblocks, 
looting) during the circuit ride.  The warden in Eldoret is 
responsible for several rural clinics and made a similar circuit 
ride to check on them.  He too reported no problems traveling to or 
with the clinics.  The warden in Naivasha reported that the Red 
Cross set up a camp for several thousand Kikuyu IDPs from the Molo 
area.  Some of the large flower farms in Naivasha are still 
reporting staffing shortages as a result of the civil unrest. 
Despite the return to normalcy, however, all our wardens report 
underlying ethnic tensions.  Most feel that the outcome of this 
week's negotiations will determine if the normalcy remains or if 
violence erupts once again. 
Rannenberger