Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI3214
2006-07-25 13:05:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

PRELIMINARY PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION RESULTS HAND

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KE 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #3214 2061305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251305Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3225
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA PRIORITY 8683
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM PRIORITY 4759
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI PRIORITY 4294
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA PRIORITY 1473
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1963
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1943
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
UNCLAS NAIROBI 003214 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KE
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION RESULTS HAND
VICTORY TO NARC-KENYA

REF: NAIROBI 3090

UNCLAS NAIROBI 003214

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KDEM KE
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTION RESULTS HAND
VICTORY TO NARC-KENYA

REF: NAIROBI 3090


1. (U) Preliminary results from the parliamentary
by-elections held on July 24 give the newly formed NARC-Kenya
party a lead over its rivals in three out of the five
constituencies left vacant following an April plane crash in
which the sitting members of parliament were killed (reftel).
NARC-Kenya won in Nakuru Town, North Horr, and Saku
constituencies, while KANU took the lead in Moyale and
Laisamis constituencies. Voter turnout throughout the
constituencies was low, but not unreasonably so, considering
by-election standards. Embassy observers, deployed in three
of the constituencies, reported calm conditions in almost all
polling locations. Reports of a few isolated, minor
incidents of violence did little to affect polling or voter
turnout.


2. (U) A break down of the voting is as follows:

Nakuru Town: NARC-Kenya 21,599; LDP 16,769; and KANU a
distant third at 4,526.
North Horr: NARC-Kenya 5,578; KANU 4,628.
Saku: NARC-Kenya 5,760; KANU 5,007.
Laisamis KANU 6,821; NARC-Kenya 5,010.
Moyale (with only two-thirds of the final vote results
recorded): KANU 8,301; NARC-Kenya 4,546.


3. (U) The polling results underscore the importance of unity
within the opposition (LDP and KANU) should they seek to
prevail at the polls in late 2007. In Nakuru Town, the
respective LDP and KANU candidates split the vote to deliver
a victory for the NARC-Kenya candidate (the late MP's son).
The combined votes for KANU and LDP nearly matched the total
for NARC-Kenya, pointing to the possibility that, had they
pulled together, as they had initially indicated they would
under the banner of ODM, they could have defeated the
NARC-Kenya candidate. Elsewhere, the success of the
newly-created (and government-supported) Narc-Kenya party may
give some credence to the persistent rumors of the misuse of
government funds in campaigning for the party throughout
northern Kenya.


4. (U) A more detailed analysis of the by-election outcome
and it's implications for the domestic political scene will
be sent upon the return of the Embassy's observer teams.
HOOVER