VZCZCXRO2576
RR RUEHROV
DE RUEHNR #2376/01 3231222
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191222Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1577
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 002376 
 
DEPT FOR AF/E Driano 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KE
SUBJECT:  Pushing the Reform Process - Continued Outreach to the 
Kenyan People 
 
¶1. Summary. As part of continued outreach activities, the Ambassador 
and a Mission team visited Eldoret, Kitale, and Kapenguria in Rift 
Valley November 13-14 to promote peace reconciliation and conflict 
resolution, and to encourage domestic-driven pressure for 
implementation of the reform agenda.  Inter-active "town hall" type 
forums were held with civil society, religious groups, and the 
private sector, as well as with local officials, ordinary Kenyans, 
and young people.  Participants stressed their appreciation for U.S. 
outreach to the grassroots and emphasized that the U.S. should 
maintain and intensify pressure for reforms. End summary. 
 
¶2. During November 13-14 a Mission team headed by the Ambassador, 
visited Eldoret, Kitale, and Kapenguria in Rift Valley as part of 
continuing outreach to encourage implementation of the reform 
agenda, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. 
 
-------------------------- 
Kalenjin Council of Elders 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. In Eldoret - which was a epicenter of post-election violence -- 
the team met with the newly formed Kalenjin Council of Elders.  The 
Council is an effort to create a new group of legitimate elders not 
controlled or influenced by political forces.  The elders have 
adopted a charter committing themselves to promotion of Kalenjin 
culture and development, peace and reconciliation across ethnic 
lines.  The Ambassador emphasized the need for civil society - as 
demonstrated by the elders - to exert influence to help drive the 
reform process and to help blunt politicians' efforts to manipulate 
the population in favor of narrow political or ethnic-focused 
agendas.  The elders praised U.S. efforts to promote reconciliation 
and reforms, and made clear their desire to maintain close touch. 
After the elders conclude their initial deliberations, they will 
seek a follow-up meeting with us. 
 
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Outreach in Kitale 
------------------ 
 
¶4. In Kitale, in north Rift, the Mission team reached out to civil 
society, religious groups, private sector representatives, and young 
people.  All of the meetings were inter-active "town hall" forum 
type events.  The outreach activities included a lunch with 20 civil 
society organizations from the north rift, private sector meetings, 
a large forum with several hundred mainly young people from the 
community, a small evangelical church service, an impromptu 
discussion with hundreds of other youth waiting outside the church, 
a call-in hour-long radio show, and a dinner with local officials, 
political and religious leaders, and others. 
 
¶5. In all the fora, the Ambassador laid out U.S. views with respect 
to the reform process.  He noted some progress made, but highlighted 
the need for the government to move with a greater sense of urgency 
on key issues.  He urged that Kenyans mobilize peaceful pressure 
through the democratic system for implementation of reforms.  He 
pointed out that domestic pressure coupled with international 
pressure will achieve results, but noted that civil society, the 
private sector, religious groups, and the media have not come 
together sufficiently to deliver a united concerted message to the 
government (as they did so effectively to help end the post-election 
crisis).  Particularly with the youth, the Ambassador discussed the 
linkage between the reform process and their future well-being (that 
the economy will not grow and jobs will not be created without 
stability, which can only be achieved through implementation of the 
reform agenda). 
 
¶6. All of the events involved wide-ranging discussions.  Key points 
made by participants were that civil society needs to be bolstered, 
that there should be more U.S. visa bans, that pressure must be 
maintained on the government by the U.S. and others, and that ethnic 
tensions and conflict remain intense.  Other interlocutors 
emphasized the urgency of having a new constitution before 2012, but 
they are concerned that the political class will hijack the process. 
 Although many interlocutors expressed a high degree of skepticism 
regarding the possibility of achievQg major reforms, many were also 
hopeful that, as one participant stated, there is a "silent 
revolution" taking place among the Kenyan people that will result in 
change.  One interlocutor was fearful that the outcome of boundary 
review is a "time-bomb" for inter-ethnic tension. Participants 
commended the U.S. for "having the people of Kenya at heart," and 
made clear they see U.S. efforts as supporting the "silent 
revolution" underway.  Participants also described a range of 
positive activities being carried out at the grassroots level to 
promote reconciliation and reform.  The district peace committee, 
with government support, is working with one of the national women's 
organizations to promote inter-ethnic dialogue. 
 
¶7. The outreach activities highlighted a particularly encouraging 
development that we are seeing throughout the country:  the 
willingness of local officials (particularly the largely 
 
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professional district officers, provincial commissioners, local 
police, and the area chiefs, but also some locally elected officials 
like mayors and county councils) to support outreach efforts and to 
say the right things about the need for reforms.  The mayor and head 
of the county council helped organize the outreach activities, along 
with local organizations from Trans-Nzoia district. 
 
¶9. At Kitale, the Mission team ran into the Commander of the 
Administrative Police who was also planning to attend Tegla 
Loroupe's peace run in Kapenguria.  The Commander participated in 
the dinner discussion with leaders of civil society, the regional 
commander in charge of North Rift, local officials, and religious 
leaders.  He also participated in the peace run.  During a 
discussion with the Ambassador, he indicated that he appreciates the 
utility of such events to reach out to people to promote a more 
positive image for the police at a time when the government has 
stated its intent to carry out police reform. 
 
------------------- 
Loroupe's Peace Run 
------------------- 
 
¶10. One of Kenya's most famous female athletes, Tegla Loroupe, has 
organized a day of peace runs in her hometown of Kapenguria for the 
past 7 years.  A Mission team headed by the Ambassador has attended 
these for the past 4 years, and we provide tangible assistance 
through the MIST program.  The run brings together hundreds of young 
"warriors" from Loroupe's Pokot ethnic group and 6 other ethnic 
groups including 2 ethnic groups from Uganda which have 
traditionally engaged in conflict.  The Minister of Youth and 
Sports, local Members of Parliament, civic leaders, the Commander of 
the Administrative Police, and 2 Ugandan government ministers 
attended. 
 
¶11. The event provided an opportunity for the Ambassador, and the 
other dignitaries present as well, to emphasize peaceful competition 
through sports, the importance of fostering national reconciliation, 
and the need to implement the reform agenda.  Although ethnic 
conflict is still intense in the area due to issues like cattle 
rustling and small arms smuggling, Loroupe's activities have had a 
significant impact in reducing the level of violence, in encouraging 
young men and women to turn their focus away from the traditional 
violent warrior culture, to turn in weapons, and to reach out to one 
another across ethnic lines.  Along with the UK and EC, we are 
supporting Loroupe's ongoing project to build a Peace Academy in 
Kapenguria. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶12. These outreach activities by the Ambassador and Mission teams 
are a key element of our broader efforts to promote reconciliation 
and conflict resolution, and to encourage peaceful domestic-driven 
pressure for implementation of reforms.  The growing amount of 
requests we are receiving - from ordinary Kenyans, grassroots 
organizations, and Members of Parliament - for such outreach visits 
(and the concern that anti-reform forces supporting the culture of 
impunity are expressing about them) testifies to their impact. 
 
RANNEBERGER