COAST PROVINCE - DIVERSITY, DEVELOPMENT, AND THE POLITICAL

UNCLAS NAIROBI 004334 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI PREL KISL PGOV ECON KE KDEM PTER SNAR SUBJECT: COAST PROVINCE - DIVERSITY, DEVELOPMENT, AND THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN KENYA SENSITIVE--NOT FOR INTERNET POSTING ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The diversity of Kenya's Coast Province reflects an important part of the country's rich history and highlights the challenge that this fledgling democracy faces to develop a truly inclusive process focused on national issues, as opposed to the current tribally-driven system. During a three-day visit, the Ambassador emphasized the importance of accommodating diversity and focused on a positive message that the U.S. and Kenya share a strong partnership that is mutually beneficial. This message was well-received, and the receptiveness demonstrated by the Muslim community was remarkable (the Iftar dinner produced an overflow crowd that engaged in a highly constructive dialogue with the Ambassador). It was striking that government officials, representatives of civil society, the private sector, the Muslim and Christian communities, and politicians, while differing on some issues like the extent of corruption, shared similar views on key matters: concerns about increased narcotics trafficking and trafficking in persons, marginalization of Coast Province, and the need for more robust steps to ensure security. They also urged that the U.S. establish a permanent presence on the Coast. The Ambassador inaugurated several projects and programs that highlighted U.S. assistance for the Coast. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) The Ambassador conducted an outreach visit to Coast Province September 25-27. He was accompanied by several senior FSNs, the Acting Political Counselor, a Swahili-speaking officer from Regional Affairs, the Consul General, and the USAID Kenya Mission Director. ¶3. (U) The visit included outreach to the Muslim community, inauguration of two USG-funded projects, meetings with a range of government officials, dialogue with civil society, a town hall meeting with the American community, media interviews, discussions with tribal elders, visits to USAID-supported development projects, and conversations with political party leaders. -------------- -------------- Encouraging Diversity and the U.S.-Kenyan Partnership -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Coast Province is one of the most beautiful, diverse, and potentially rich areas of Kenya--but also traditionally one of the country's most marginalized economically and politically. The diversity is reflected in the roughly equal split between Muslims and Christians (with a smaller number of traditionalists); by wide disparities in income levels (the South Coast is among the poorest areas of Kenya, while the Kenyan elite maintain vacation homes there); by ethnic diversity (including a "local" vs. "upcountry" split),and by the range of economic activity (from upscale tourism to small-scale agriculture). ¶5. (U) In interviews and in the full range of meetings and events, which received substantial media coverage, the Ambassador explained that he wanted to visit Coast Province as one of his first trips outside of Nairobi precisely because Coast Province is the most diverse in Kenya. He highlighted the importance of the Kenyan democratic system embracing this diversity in an inclusive process. All the issues found in Coast Province (ranging from development problems to social services to tribalism to insecurity) are key to the national political discussion that will take place during the lead-up to the Kenyan elections in 2007. The Ambassador described his view of the positive direction in which Kenya is moving (based on its robust civil society, vibrant media, 85 percent literacy, almost 6 percent growth rate, dynamic private sector, and structural changes in the government providing greater accountability and transparency, among other factors). He reviewed the breadth and depth of the U.S.-Kenyan partnership, emphasizing that it is mutually beneficial. The message was well-received. The warmth of the reception by interlocutors in Coast Province, and by ordinary citizens, was striking. People literally waved on the street as the party drove through. -------------- Muslim Community Positive Toward the U.S. -------------- ¶6. (SBU) The Ambassador's call on the Chief Khadi (the official leader of the Muslim community) reflected these sentiments. The Khadi talked about the moderate Muslim traditions of the Coast population. He lamented that Imams do not always have the training or skills to present an effective message in their mosques. The Khadi has had a close working relationship with the Consular Section (in support of the warden system) for years. He invited additional U.S. support in Muslim areas, including for historic preservation in the old town of Mombasa. He pointed out that radical preachers who do periodically come into the area to proselytize often bring with them funds to influence the people. While this influence does not last, he claimed, additional U.S. assistance would help bolster him and other moderate Muslim leaders. (We are looking into whether it might be possible to support a historic preservation project in Mombasa's old town, where a large Muslim population lives. We understand that the old town is under consideration by UNESCO for designation as a world heritage site.) ¶7. (U) Imams and other Muslim representatives who attended an Iftar dinner hosted by the Ambassador echoed these sentiments. The overflow crowd, which included a number of women, enthusiastically welcomed the Ambassador's visit. In fact, they urged that the U.S. establish a permanent presence on the Coast; the Ambassador indicated that this was being considered. A number of the participants specifically expressed concerns about the potential for terrorism given the unprotected Coastline and deteriorating situation in Somalia. They expressed their concerns about marginalization of Coast Province (in their view due to the number of Muslims living there) and welcomed the Ambassador's emphasis on the need for the democratic system to be inclusive. One participant commented that he completely agreed on the need for a war against terrorism, but bemoaned how the U.S. is fighting it. The U.S., he said only half in jest, should have identified a moderate mufti and made him a prominent senior White House adviser in the war against terrorism. Several of the women appealed for U.S. support for establishment of a rehabilitation center for abused women. In his remarks to the Iftar participants, the Ambassador emphasized U.S. respect for Islam and for diversity, and noted that during Ramadan it was particularly appropriate to recall the ancient Islamic tradition of dispatching envoys to resolve conflicts. This tradition of "ambassadors of peace" was, he noted, highlighted in ancient Islamic manuscripts which the U.S. has been active in preserving in Timbuktu, one of the renowned ancient Islamic centers of learning. (Many of the participants were unaware of this tradition; a very enthusiastic and spirited discussion followed.) ¶8. (U) The outreach to the Muslim community was highlighted in the Ambassador's donation of encyclopedias and a one thousand dollar grant to purchase books given to the Islamic Teachers' College. Using the Teachers' College as a base, the Muslim community has launched a proposal to establish a university - which would be the first on the Coast. Muslim representatives at the donation ceremony appealed for U.S. assistance for this project. The Ambassador also visited a preschool started and still supported by the Aga Khan Foundation. USAID has provided support. While Islam is studied, the school is run based on the standard Kenyan national curriculum. -------------- -------------- Government Officials Focused on Security, Development -------------- -------------- ¶9. (U) Government officials also warmly welcomed the visit and, like others, emphasized their interest in seeing a permanent U.S. presence on the Coast. They expressed particular concerns about security, demonstrating a keen appreciation of the threat that Kenya faces from terrorism. The Provincial Commissioner (accompanied by a large inter-agency team) had just returned from a visit to the U.S. focused on coastal security issues. The government, with our support, has formed an inter-agency task force to address the urgent need to improve coastal security. They expressed great appreciation for continued ATA assistance. This is part of a broad effort focused on anti-terrorism assistance as well as efforts to combat piracy, drug trafficking, and small arms trafficking. (The Ambassador will be in Mombasa October 6 at a ceremony to turn over five coastal patrol boats to the Kenyan navy.) ¶10. (U) The Acting Mayor of Mombasa focused on possibilities for cooperation with the U.S. He appealed for support for the World Cross-Country Championship games to be held in Mombasa next spring. Related to this, he discussed his interest in promoting more U.S. tourism to the Coast. He emphasized his interest in promoting public-private partnerships. In this regard, he echoed the interest expressed by the Muslim community in obtaining support for establishment of a university in Mombasa. Interestingly, the Mayor noted that Mombasa has a sister city relationship with Seattle. The town councilors participated in the meeting. The only female member emphasized the need for support for women's groups which, she said, are still marginalized along the Coast. -------------- Robust Civil Society -------------- ¶11. (U) Several meetings focused on civil society: one with Christian religious leaders, another with non-governmental groups, and a third with representatives of the private sector. The women in these meetings were particularly outspoken. They bemoaned their marginalization in politics, but described their vigorous efforts to counteract this through formation of women's organizations. They noted that affirmative action legislation is yet to pass in Parliament. The Ambassador briefed the women on the President's Women's Justice and Empowerment Initiative. The women enthusiastically welcomed this, stressing especially the need to train police in terms of awareness and evidence handling in cases of abuse. When one woman stated that "incest is a plague in our society," all heads nodded. Many of the participants in the civil society meetings represented youth groups, an encouraging indication of the process of generational change underway in Kenya. ¶12. (SBU) Christian leaders maintained that the Christian community on the Coast is even more marginalized than the Muslim population, since the Muslims (especially those of Arab origin) control more economic resources. They expressed appreciation for U.S. support for Muslim-Christian dialogue. (The U.S. is supporting a series of radio discussions hosted by the Mombasa-based Radio Baraka.) The religious leaders maintained that some Imams are being influenced by an increasing number of outside radical preachers coming into the Coast. They urged that any university established on the Coast be public and secular. They also called attention to smoldering tribal tensions (there were serious clashes in 1997). In that regard, they expressed concern that President Kibaki's statements during his recent visit to the Coast about taking away land from absentee land owners were potentially explosive, although there has been no violence as a result of the remarks. The tribal tensions stem largely from the Kenyatta regime's settlement of Kikuyus and Kambas on Coast Province land. There was a fascinating discussion of the continuing importance of African traditional religions along the Coast. ¶13. (SBU) Elders representing some of the nine Mijikenda tribes of the Coast talked emotionally about marginalization of the Coast, particularly their areas of the South Coast. Indeed, the greater level of poverty was readily apparent after crossing on the ferry from Mombasa to the South Coast. The Mijikenda elders mirrored the religious leaders in discussing tribal tensions between "natives" of the Coast and "upcountry" Kenyans. They pointed out that even the majority of hotel workers are not natives of the Coast, but rather Kikuyus and Kambas. Members of Parliament for the area have delivered nothing in terms of development, they said, but would likely be re-elected given their status within the Mijikenda tribes. Many of the complaints about marginalization were directed at the actions of former President Moi, still being felt on the Coast. They claimed that he deliberately let key industries languish (particularly cashew nuts, sugar refineries, and breweries). One interesting point they made is that while the Coast is the most diverse area of Kenya, it is in some respects also the most united given the history of the Coast (it was a protectorate of Oman for many years). While admitting that such constitutional change is unlikely, they advocated for adoption of a federal system in Kenya that would accommodate the unique identity of the Coast. -------------- Politics -------------- ¶14. (SBU) A discussion with two Members of Parliament reflected many of the issues and concerns heard in other meetings, but with a pointedly political twist. Opposition Coast parliamentarian Najib Balala focused on marginalization of the Coast and the need for land reform. Joseph Kingi, who is also Assistant Minister of Security, admitted that the Coast has historically been marginalized, but argued that Kibaki's government has done a great deal to promote development. Interestingly, they were in agreement with respect to three issues: the problem of increased narcotics trafficking; the need for more action to stop corruption; and the importance of more effective steps to promote security. ¶15. (SBU) The man who still claims to be Mayor of Mombasa, Taib Ali Taib, has mounted a challenge in the courts to the government's removal of him after he switched political sides. In his meeting with the Ambassador, he provided an impressive analysis of the situation on the Coast. While sounding some of the same themes as others (on land given to the Kikuyus, marginalization, and narcotics trafficking),he said that, as a Muslim, he wanted to emphasize that the U.S. has "incredible goodwill on the Coast." He urged that we conduct outreach directly with the people, bypassing Imams. The real sources of influence, he said, are a number of powerful families and tribal leaders. The Mayor, or would-be mayor, is clearly an astute politician and, we understand, plans to run for Parliament on an opposition ticket. -------------- -- Tourism, Trafficking in Persons, Travel Warning -------------- -- ¶16. (U) A separate discussion with tourism industry officials focused on concerns about the U.S. travel warning. The Ambassador pointed out that U.S. tourism has increased by almost 60 percent in recent years, with about 75,000 American tourists expected in Kenya this year. The tourism officials acknowledged that the travel warning probably has limited negative impact on American tourism, but claimed that other countries often follow suit when the U.S. issues travel warnings. The tourism officials said that 750,000 tourists are expected this year in Kenya, with about 65 percent focused on the Coast and its superb beaches. Eight Kenyan jobs, they claimed, are created for every tourist visitor. The tourism representatives expressed interest in attracting more U.S. investment, and the Ambassador urged them to work closely with the American Chamber of Commerce in Kenya. The tourism representatives clearly appreciated the horrendous negative impact another terrorism incident could have, and said they are pressing the government to be more proactive to combat insecurity. ¶17. (U) The Ambassador raised concerns about trafficking in persons, particularly with respect to reports of growing sex tourism along the Coast. The tourism industry representatives said that they share these concerns and are working closely with Kenyan authorities to fight it. They have adopted a code of conduct for the industry, and most hotels have flyers warning tourists that sex tourism is a crime in Kenya. -------------- Increased Narcotics Trafficking -------------- ¶18. (U) The number of interlocutors who raised concerns about increased narcotics trafficking was striking. Government officials and non-governmental groups said they believe that narcotics trafficking, which has existed to some degree since the 1980s, has expanded significantly in recent years. Many said that one could acquire virtually any drug (cocaine, heroin, and pills) on the streets of Mombasa. While they do not have adequate statistics, they emphasized that the impact is being felt in the growing number of drug addicts. At the Iftar dinner, one Muslim leader described his organization's efforts to establish a drug rehabilitation center and appealed for U.S. support. The Kenyan government has little capacity and few resources to combat the trafficking or to focus on treatment programs. (Separate messages will report on the widespread perception that increased drug trafficking is closely tied to high-level networks of corruption, and that this explains the inattention to this problem.) -------------- U.S. Assistance for Coast Province -------------- ¶19. (U) The U.S. has extensive programs along the Coast focused on combating insecurity and terrorism, promoting development, and fighting HIV/AIDS, among other areas. During his visit, the Ambassador and USAID Director launched a $40 million five-year program on HIV/AIDS. The program focuses on integrated health assistance through a partnership between non-governmental groups, and the Kenyan and U.S. governments. The Ambassador visited a new cashew nut factory indirectly supported by U.S. assistance. A USAID project along the Coast is helping 5,000 cashew nut farmers to increase the quantity and quality of production. Much of that production ends up at the new factory. The factory prepares the cashew nuts for export, some to the U.S. under AGOA, and therefore results in increased income for the farmers. ¶20. (U) The Ambassador also signed a cultural preservation grant for the Shimoni Caves on the South Coast, which were used to hold slaves prior to their transport out of Kenya by Arab slavers. This was widely welcomed on the Coast, since the history of trafficking along the east coast of Africa has not been as developed as that on the west coast of Africa. The grant is structured to empower the local community to run the project in coordination with the Kenyan government. ¶21. (U) Peace Corps volunteers on the Coast generate a tremendous amount of well-being, as reflected in an often-heard request for more of them. Peace Corps volunteers told the Ambassador they feel very welcomed in Muslim communities. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶22. (U) As the water from the tepid Indian Ocean lapped the beach under a starlit sky at the luxurious Serena Hotel, on the Coast north of Mombasa, with a Kenyan musical group performing in the background, it was easy to appreciate the astounding beauty of Kenya's Coast. In such a setting, one is safety isolated from the tremendous poverty that afflicts the Coast - a victim of massive corruption and neglect during the governments of Presidents Kenyatta and Moi. That the poverty and land-grabs recounted above have not provoked more violence is perhaps an indication that the unique history and diversity of the Coast have produced some unity, however tenuous it may be. From that perspective Coast Province is an appropriate stage on which to present a message on the importance of an inclusive democratic system focused on national issues. Walking the streets of Mombasa's frayed old town, there was no apparent evidence of the problems that plague the Coast, but the similarity of the messages from interlocutors underscored the large challenges the Coast and Kenya face on major issues ranging from narcotics trafficking to trafficking in persons to development. That is also a challenge for the U.S.-Kenya partnership - one that we are well on the way towards meeting. Our sustained investment in that partnership is yielding substantial dividends on the Coast. RANNEBERGER