VZCZCXRO0613
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHNR #0803/01 0801622
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201622Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5202
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 5882
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 1963
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 9987
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2711
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 5187

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 NAIROBI 000803 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E 
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID ASEC PHUM KE US
SUBJECT:  Kenya After the Crisis: The Ambassador's Visit 
to Rift Valley 
 
REF: Nairobi 706 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  On March 1-2 the Ambassador visited 
several areas of Rift Valley which were hit hard by the 
post-election violence.  While all these areas were calm 
in the wake of the signing of the February 28 political 
accord, they remain traumatized by what happened.  People 
are hopeful that the coalition government will address 
the underlying land grievances that fueled the violence. 
The Ambassador used the visit to delineate U.S. policy, 
to urge support for the political accord, and to 
emphasize the importance of reconciliation.  The message 
was well-received, and there was widespread praise for 
what is seen as the decisive U.S. role to end the crisis. 
The visit was covered extensively by the media.  End 
summary. 
 
¶2.  (U) During March 1-2 the Ambassador, accompanied by a 
Mission team, visited Eldoret, Kitale, and Nakuru in Rift 
Valley, three of the areas hit hardest by violence during 
the post-election crisis.  Throughout the visit, the 
Ambassador articulated U.S. policy, and highlighted our 
support for reconciliation and full implementation of the 
political accord.  Members of civil society, elders, 
internally displaced persons, government officials, and 
representatives of the private sector widely and publicly 
praised the decisive U.S. role in helping resolve the 
crisis.  The visit received extensive media coverage. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
Nakuru -- Land Issues and Marginalization 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.   (SBU) The situation was calm in all these areas, but 
all are burdened with tens of thousands of internally 
displaced persons resulting from the post-election 
violence.  The deputy provincial commissioner stated that 
the violence during January and February were the worst 
the area had ever experienced, but he put it into 
perspective by noting that enormous violence and 
displacements had also occurred following violence during 
the 1992 and 1997 elections.  Then, as now, the 
underlying cause of the violence is disputes over land. 
This manifests itself through violent actions of the Rift 
Valley's dominant Kalenjin ethnic group, who feel 
economically marginalized, to force out Kikuyus, who own 
much of the land.  The Rift Valley Province is currently 
hosting 220,000 IDPs.  The deputy provincial commissioner 
said he had been instructed by the government to focus on 
reconciliation, particularly by involving local political 
leaders and Members of Parliament in the process. 
Contrary to some reports, he maintained that the violence 
started spontaneously, but was then hijacked by 
politicians.  He also frankly indicated that Kikuyu 
leaders from Central Province had likely brought in some 
youths (including perhaps the Kikuyu criminal gang called 
the 'Mungiki') from there to retaliate for violence 
perpetrated against Kikuyus.  He accurately pointed out 
that unemployed youth were the fuel for violence and 
emphasized the need for youth employment programs (which 
is a focus of the government's March 17 appeal to donors; 
see septel). 
 
¶4.  (U) The Ambassador participated in an event sponsored 
by the Ebony Foundation, which handed out micro- 
enterprise grants to help small businesses rebuild 
following the violence.  The event, covered by the media, 
highlighted the U.S.-Kenyan partnership, since 40 percent 
of the Foundation's support comes from private individuals 
in the U.S.  The foundation, which is supporting about 
24,000 small businesses across Kenya, allocates 60 
percent of its funds for women entrepreneurs.  During the 
event, the Ambassador addressed about 50 small business 
owners.  The fact that all the businesses are controlled 
by mixed ethnic groups highlights the theme of 
reconciliation (and also reflects the fact that 
displacements were largely the result of land disputes, 
and not primarily the result of ethnic animosities per 
se). 
 
¶5.  (U) The situation in Nakuru also points out the 
 
NAIROBI 00000803  002 OF 006 
 
 
plight of marginalized communities.  The Ambassador met 
with representatives of the Masaai and Ogiek communities. 
Many years ago both ethnic groups were forced out of this 
part of the Rift Valley into less productive land.  The 
Maa Civil Society Forum noted that this dates back to the 
Anglo-Masaai treaty of 100 years ago. They complained 
that encroachment on their lands is accelerating, with 
the development of housing schemes that will not benefit 
the Masaai.  The Ogiek community, which is so small that 
it is not counted among Kenya's 42 ethnic groups, 
described how it had been forced off land in the Mau 
Forest along Rift Valley.  In another manifestation of 
unresolved underlying grievances, their court case has 
been pending 15 years.  They are advocating for the 
creation of a minority people's forum.  Both groups 
emphasized the need for the constitutional review process 
to be inclusive. 
 
¶6.  (U) The Ambassador met with IDPs from the local stadium. 
The IDP population is mainly composed of Luos and Luhyas who 
had been displaced from Central Province and areas around 
Nakuru, which demonstrates that Kikuyus were not the only 
groups affected by the violence.  As in other camps, the 
Kenyan Red Cross is doing a good job.  U.S. support is 
deeply appreciated, according to all. 
 
¶7.  (U) The Ambassador's impromptu town hall meeting with 
about 200 people in the local market resulted in a lively 
discussion of the current situation.  The group was 
ethnically mixed, reflected Nakuru's cosmopolitan nature, 
and generally agreed that ethnic groups could continue to 
live peacefully together.  They emphasized, however, the 
need for land reform to address the grievances that were 
at the heart of the violence in rural areas. 
 
¶8.  (U) The Catholic Bishop, who had never received an 
ambassadorial visit, discussed the Church's support for 
about 19,000 displaced persons.  The Bishop echoed others 
pointing out that the violence was mainly about land 
issues.  He said that unemployed youth were exploited by 
politicians who organized violence. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Kitale -- Impacted by Violence in Mt. Elgon 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Kitale, in the North Rift Valley, has been 
affected by violence even before the post-election 
crisis.  Kitale borders on the Mt. Elgon area, where a 
localized land dispute has triggered serious violence 
during the past two years (a militia group estimated 
at several thousand operates in the Mt. Elgon area; 
see reftel).  While the town of Kitale itself has been 
relatively unaffected, the Mt. Elgon violence spills over 
into surrounding rural areas.  Kitale is also part of one 
of the richest farming areas of Kenya.  Local businessmen 
told the Ambassador over lunch of their grave concerns 
that post-election violence and the spillover from Mt. 
Elgon has impeded planting on the eve of the rainy 
season.  They estimated that planting is one-tenth of the 
normal acreage.  Small businessmen in and around the town 
have suffered from the violence and disruption of the 
local economy.  Kitale, which is celebrating its 100th 
anniversary, has a young mayor, who talked persuasively 
about the need for reconciliation and the difficulty of 
returning people to their homes given what appeared to be 
a worsening situation in the Mt. Elgon area. 
 
¶10.  (U) The Ambassador assisted in distribution of 
USAID-supplied food to IDPs at the Kitale show grounds, 
addressed them, and met with their IDP committee.   The 
visit highlighted problems with health care, as supply of 
HIV/AIDS drugs were disrupted as a result of the 
violence.  (Note: PEPFAR and the Ministry of Health have 
moved rapidly to restore normal operations in the wake of 
the political accord.  End note.)  Most of the IDPs are 
Luhya, but there were also Turkana, Kikuyu and Kisii.  They 
uniformly expressed deep skepticism that conditions would 
ever be safe enough for them to return to their homes. 
This is the third time (1992, 1997 and now) that many of 
them have been displaced, they noted.  Many of the IDPs, 
therefore, want to be resettled in other areas.  They also 
pointed out that many of the IDPs have no land to go back 
 
NAIROBI 00000803  003 OF 006 
 
 
to, since they worked as squatters and day laborers.  They 
stressed how difficult it will be to resume farming 
activities, since all their implements and supplies were 
destroyed.  Reflecting their belief that they will be in 
camps for a long time, they also emphasized the need for 
provisions for adequate education for their children. 
Finally, they insisted that they receive compensation for 
their destroyed property.  Discussion with the committee 
revealed great resentment over large tracts of land owned 
by the GOK's Agricultural Development Corporation and 
large tracts held by Kikuyu elite (who purchased them 
during the Kenyatta era). 
 
¶11.  (U) A series of meetings with civil society revealed 
the negative impact on Kitale of the spillover of 
violence from the Mt. Elgon region.  A group of religious 
leaders talked about the complex land issues in Mt. Elgon 
which triggered the violence of recent years. (reftel) 
They urged that the political accord be used as an 
opportunity to resolve this conflict.  A group of women 
civil society leaders described their impressive efforts 
to foster reconciliation at the grassroots level.  Youth 
groups focused on the reality that youths were the ones 
primarily responsible for committing violence, because 
they could be readily exploited due to pervasive 
unemployment. 
 
¶12.  (U) A large group of elders from the Mt. Elgon area 
came to Kitale specifically to meet with the Ambassador. 
They reviewed the troubled history of the Mt. Elgon area, 
particularly the fact that the Sabaot people have been 
increasingly pushed off their ancestral lands since 
independence.  This has fueled the resentment manifested 
by their support for the 3,000 strong Sabaot Land Defense 
Force, an extremely violent local militia which is 
currently under siege by Kenyan armed forces (refel). 
The elders said that they are talking with the youth to 
end violence, but the youth have no incentive to do so. 
The Ambassador urged the elders to redouble efforts to 
achieve peace, since violence precludes the kinds of 
programs needed to address the issues in the Mt. Elgon 
area. 
 
¶13.  (U) At dinner, two senior retired generals discussed 
the nature of the post-election violence.  It was not, 
they maintained, pre-meditated, but rather a spontaneous 
reaction to the perception that the election was stolen. 
Once it started, however, violence was then manipulated 
for political purposes. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Eldoret -- Hope in the Epicenter of Violence 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶14.  (U) An extraordinary one-day visit to Mt. Elgon 
highlighted both the terrible dimensions of the violence 
which took place there, and reasons to be hopeful.  In 
the morning the Ambassador visited an IDP camp of 15,000 
primarily Kikuyus.  He met with the IDP committee, toured 
the camp, and addressed several thousand IDPs.  The IDP 
committee emphasized the recurrent nature of violence in 
the area, noting a pattern dating back to the 1960s.  IDPs 
want reassurances that the underlying land issues will be 
addressed and that safeguards will be put in place to 
ensure such violence never occurs again.  The IDPs also 
seek compensation.  Indicating that most believe they 
will need to remain in the camp for some time, they urged 
upgrading of facilities, particularly access to education 
for their children. 
 
¶15.  (U) In the afternoon, the Ambassador spoke to about 
5,000 Kalenjins gathered for a peace and reconciliation 
conference hosted by a U.S.-sponsored NGO.  The 
Ambassador's remarks (see para 19) were broadcast live on 
the Kalenjin vernacular radio station Kass FM (the 
Ambassador asked the most popular announcer of the 
station to be his translator at the rally).  The 
Ambassador told the Kalenjin audience that he had just 
visited the IDP camp, not more than a kilometer away.  He 
challenged the Kalenjins to extend support to the IDPs, 
and to reconcile with them.  Unexpectedly, all the Rift 
Valley MPs, including ODM's William Ruto, showed up at 
the event.  Ruto, who has been attacked by Kikuyus as an 
 
NAIROBI 00000803  004 OF 006 
 
 
alleged organizer of violence, made a strong speech in 
which he told the Kalenjin audience that Kikuyus are 
their friends and neighbors and must be allowed to return 
to their homes.  Text of the Ambassador's remarks are 
included at the end of the cable. 
 
¶16.  (U) The city of Eldoret, which was an epicenter of 
the violence, was calm.  Some burned buildings starkly 
highlighted the reality of what had happened.   The 
obvious presence of unemployed youth on the streets -- a 
phenomenon seen throughout the country -- testified to the 
large challenge inherent in getting this area of the 
country fully back to normal.  A meeting with the 
Catholic Bishop, however, provided reason to be hopeful. 
Earlier, the District Commissioner had highlighted the 
Bishop's efforts as extremely important.  The Bishop, who 
is widely respected in Kenya, has been working 
systematically at the parish level to promote 
reconciliation.  Peace and reconciliation committees have 
been set up in 40 parishes; these include elders as well 
as youth.  He has facilitated some meetings between 
Kikuyu and Kalenjin elders.  The Bishop accurately 
emphasized that the violence was about politics and 
economics.  It manifested itself along tribal lines 
(because Kikuyus are perceived as having taken the land 
and as having stolen the election), but the violence does 
not reflect ethnic hatred. 
 
¶17.  (U) The Bishop believes that his reconciliation 
efforts have laid the groundwork for small-scale returns 
in several locations.  Per septel, we are working with 
Catholic Relief Services, one of our implementing 
partners, to support such returns as soon as they can be 
safely carried out.  At the same time, the Bishop did not 
minimize how much the violence traumatized the 
population.  He said the Church sponsored an essay 
program as part of healing and reconciliation efforts. 
Students were asked to write about the worst day of their 
lives.  One twelve-year-old girl wrote about the day she 
was forced to watch her sister being gang-raped, and then 
to witness the decapitation of her brother. 
 
¶18.  (U) As horrible as some of the violence was, Kenyans 
-- even in Eldoret and other parts of Rift Valley -- have 
reacted very positively to the political accord.  They 
see this as a first step along a difficult path to 
address underlying land grievances that have repeatedly 
fueled violence.  Progress in that regard will be 
necessary to give the displaced confidence to return to 
their homes.  In the meantime, reconciliation will 
undoubtedly yield mixed results, but may be sufficiently 
acceptable in some areas to permit limited returns.  All 
of this underscores the need for the U.S. to support 
Kenyan efforts to maintain momentum on implementation of 
all elements of the political accord, including the 
reform agenda. 
 
¶19.  (U) Ambassador's remarks in Mt. Elgon follow. 
 
Begin text: 
 
I planned this visit to the Rift Valley before the 
agreement was signed between President Kibaki and the 
Honorable Raila Odinga -- but I also planned the trip with 
confidence that a deal would be achieved.  I believed 
this because of the enormous faith I have in the Kenyan 
people.  You and people across this great land made your 
voices heard that the two leaders must put the interests 
of the nation first.  I commend them both for having done 
so, but in a very real sense the Kenyan people deserve 
the most credit for what has been accomplished. 
 
This is my second trip to the Eldoret since the end of 
December.  Assistant Secretary for African Affairs 
Jendayi Frazer and I came here and to Kisumu on January 
8th to see exactly what had happened in the first days of 
the violence.  Like all Kenyans and their friends, we 
were shocked by the devastation.  The presence of 
Assistant Secretary Frazer in Eldoret testified to our 
concerns about how the violence was affecting Kenyans 
here and throughout the country. 
 
The crisis that Kenya experienced during the past two 
 
NAIROBI 00000803  005 OF 006 
 
 
months traumatized people across the ethnic and political 
spectrum.  I know that the people of Rift Valley have been 
particularly affected by the violence, but many areas 
throughout Kenya have also suffered.  Some of the 
violence was spontaneous, some of it has been organized 
by those who seek to exploit young people to advance 
their selfish political aims, and some amounts to nothing 
more than hooliganism.  There have also been cases of 
excessive use of force by the police. None of it was 
justified. Those seeking to arm groups and to plan for 
further violence must be stopped. And those responsible 
must be held accountable. 
 
In signing an agreement to work together, Kenya's leaders 
have shown the way forward to achieve peace, justice, and 
reconciliation.  Now is the time for all Kenyans to come 
together to support the agreement so that all Kenyans can 
enjoy the fruits of economic prosperity, can exercise 
their democratic rights, and can have access to the 
educational, health, and other programs that they and 
their children deserve. 
 
The agreement that was signed was an important first step 
to help sustain Kenya on its democratic path.  The 
agreement provides an historic opportunity for the Kenyan 
people to finally address the underlying grievances that 
have torn the fabric of the nation for far too long.  The 
agenda for institutional reform that the parties are 
working out -- including constitutional, electoral, and 
land -- provides a blueprint for accelerating development 
and strengthening institutions so that the trauma of the 
past two months will never be repeated.  Implementation 
of the agreement and the reform agenda will be a complex, 
challenging process, but I am confident that your voices 
and the political will of your leaders will get results. 
 
Americans understand these issues, because we have 
experienced similar problems.   We fought a civil war. 
One hundred years later, in 1968 when the Reverend Dr. 
Martin Luther King was assassinated, violence erupted in 
a dozen American cities.  Many were killed, much property 
was damaged, and the U.S. military had to be deployed to 
restore order.  This happened because the assassination 
unleashed pent-up anger regarding longstanding 
grievances.  Civil rights issues that had lingered since 
the civil war had never been fully resolved.  American 
rose to the challenge of that crisis by grasping the 
opportunity to deal with these grievances, redoubling 
efforts on civil rights and related issues.  Today, our 
country is stronger as a result. 
 
As a strong friend and partner of Kenya, we will help the 
Kenyan people seize their opportunity to address 
fundamental grievances and to strengthen institutions. 
We will do this in part by providing 25 million dollars 
(1.75 billion KS).  We will work in consultation with 
Kenyan civil society groups and with the new coalition 
government to determine how best to employ these funds. 
Our focus will be on:  supporting implementation of the 
political agreement and the agreed reform agenda; 
assisting people to resume their livelihoods; helping 
with reconstruction and the return of displaced people to 
their homes; and strengthening democratic governance and 
institutions. 
 
At the same time, we will continue to provide 
approximately 1 billion KS in humanitarian assistance for 
those affected by the violence. We are providing funding 
to the Kenya Red Cross Society, various U.N. agencies, 
and numerous non-governmental organizations, including 
Catholic Relief Services. Our assistance is helping 
provide food, tents, blankets, clean drinking water, 
health services, and protection for the displaced. 
 
Rift Valley has been an epicenter of violence during the 
past two months.  Unspeakable things have happened.  Yet 
I challenge the people of Rift Valley to set an example 
for the nation of peace, dialogue, and reconciliation. I 
understand this will not be an easy process, but I have 
faith in the decency and good sense of the Kenyan people. 
Whether you are a Kalinjen, Luo, Kikuyu, Luhya, Masaai, 
or a member of one of the other 42 ethnic groups of 
Kenya, you share certain values of respect for life, of 
 
NAIROBI 00000803  006 OF 006 
 
 
hospitality, of love of family -- and, I believe, you 
share a sense of pride in being Kenyan.  Remember that 
the rich ethnic diversity of Kenya is one of its greatest 
strengths and offers much to the world.  Cherish your 
values, your unique ways of life, your traditions and 
cultures, but reach out to one another in a spirit that 
truly reflects your values.  Show Kenyans the way 
forward.  Be an example to the world.  End text. 
RANNEBERGER