Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NAIROBI4835
2005-11-22 04:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

KENYA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM LARGELY

Tags:  KDEM PREL PGOV KE 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS NAIROBI 004835 

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PREL PGOV KE
SUBJECT: KENYA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM LARGELY
PEACEFUL AND APPARENTLY WITHOUT WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS


UNCLAS NAIROBI 004835

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR OPS CENTER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PREL PGOV KE
SUBJECT: KENYA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM LARGELY
PEACEFUL AND APPARENTLY WITHOUT WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS



1. SUMMARY: In Kenya's first constitutional
referendum the polls will close soon, after a mostly
peaceful exercise. There have been a number of minor
irregularities credibly reported or seen by
international observers, as well as allegations not
yet proved or disproved. There have been other
problems that appear to be simple mistakes, resulting
in long waits for some voters. Overall there does
not appear to be any particular pattern to the
irregularities, which also do not appear to be
widespread. END SUMMARY.


2. Kenya's voters are engaged in a historic exercise,
the first constitutional referendum in the history of
this relatively young country. The electorate
appears sharply divided, but both sides have called
for a peaceful ballot, a call that appears to be
almost fully realized at this time.


3. There are 166 international observers around the
country from 16 countries (including the U.S.). That
figure includes 63 U.S. Embassy observers. There are
some Kenyan observers as well, but not nearly enough
to cover the over 19,000 polling stations.


4. At 1700 local time, as the hours of voting
officially end, the reports from observers indicate a
number of irregularities, ranging from cardboard
"screens" for voters that did not screen them from
view to two observed instances of cash being handed
to voters. (Note: Polls are scheduled to close at
1700 hours, but it was announced that people in line
at polling stations at that time will be allowed to
vote. End note.) There is a news report that two
polling agents have been arrested in a Nairobi
district after voters saw them distributing bribes.
Several government officials have violated the
official prohibition on campaign activity during and
in the final 24 hours before the vote, one of whom
was the President, who campaigned for a yes vote in a
public speech Sunday. There were isolated reports of
more serious problems, but none have been verified at
this time. The "yes" side (symbol: banana),
supported by the President, appears to be at least
marginally more involved in electoral hanky-panky
than the "no" side (symbol: orange).


5. At two polling stations in Nairobi, Kibera and
Runda, approximately 600 and 200 voters,
respectively, are standing around saying they "will
not leave until the results are announced." At least
one other Nairobi area, Kasarani, also has a crowd
waiting for results. Embassy personnel are
monitoring the crowds, which until now have been
almost entirely peaceful. There was one exception at
a Kibera polling station, in which a vehicle was
apparently suspected of bringing ballots to be
stuffed in the box at the end of the polling period.
According to the report, the driver was pulled out of
his vehicle and badly beaten, but no irregular
ballots were found.


6. In addition to irregularities, there have been a
number of minor problems reported that do not appear
aimed at unduly influencing or corrupting the vote.
There were eight polling stations in Garissa
(Northeast),for example, that did not open until
around noon, instead of the stated 0700 hours. One
complaint from many polling stations is that voting
registers are incomplete, forcing many would-be
voters to be turned away.


7. There are solid reports of quite low turnout (25
percent in one case) in two constituencies. Results
could be announced tonight, or as late as Wednesday.
There do not appear to be either significant patterns
or a particularly wide range in the irregularities
reported by observers.

ROWE