KENYA - FEBRUARY 13 SITREP

UNCLAS NAIROBI 000477 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR S/ES-O/CMS, AF/E, AF/EX, CA/OCS/ACS, DS/IP/AF E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC AMGT CASC PGOV EAID ECON PHUM PREL KE SUBJECT: KENYA - FEBRUARY 13 SITREP REF: A. NAIROBI 379, B. NAIROBI 378, C. NAIROBI 370, D. NAIROBI 367 SENSITIVE-BUT-UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR RELEASE OUTSIDE USG CHANNELS. ¶1. (SBU) POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS: The Kofi Annan-led negotiations made limited progress on Monday, February 11, as both sides were busy consulting with MPs who were assembled in Nairobi in advance of an informal session of parliament scheduled for the following day. (Comment: We consider this consultation and briefing of MPs as a necessary step and do not consider it to be lost time or a negative. End comment). On February 12, Kofi Annan did in fact hold open- and closed-door sessions with MPs to brief them on the status of power-sharing negotiations during which he noted that a coalition government and new elections were one solution to Kenya's political impasse, a statement that generated protest from Justice Minister and PNU negotiator Martha Karua and a group of 75 PNU MPs. Ruffled feathers were smoothed over by mid-day today (February 13),however, when Kofi Annan announced in a press statement that talks were proceeding satisfactorily and that all parties understood he was only suggesting a possible solution. Annan continues to predict an agreement by week's end. ¶2. (SBU) SECURITY SITUATION: The security situation throughout Kenya has markedly improved over the past week, but anxiety surrounds the outcome of talks lead by Kofi Annan. While Kisumu and Kericho have remained quiet, police contacts there voice concerns that should the results or progression of the talks not be perceived as favorable to the local populace in these areas, fresh violence will erupt. ¶3. (SBU) U.S. MISSION POSTURE: Six USDH emergency personnel are deployed to the authorized departure area of Kisumu and environs. CDC has three USDH in Kisumu, and MRU has two USDH in Kisumu and one in Kericho. Their deployment was approved on Monday by the Ambassador upon the recommendation of a Kisumu EAC meeting held earlier in the day. Today, the approval for their deployment was extended through Friday. All emergency personnel will return to Nairobi on Friday and stand fast. The USAID OFDA field assessment team flew commercial air into Eldoret today. They will travel by road through Nakuru and Naivasha, returning to Nairobi on Saturday. In Nairobi, USG offices at the Gigiri Chancery compound and CDC/KEMRI compound are operating normally. International School of Kenya and Rosslyn Academy are open and buses are running without disruption. Power, water, and communications are fully operational. In-country travel policy is in effect and all personnel and family members are accounted for. ¶4. (SBU) HUMANITARIAN SITUATION: Over the weekend, U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator John Holmes reported that there are as many as 600,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from post-election violence. Official Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and Government of Kenya figures continue to point to approximately 300,000 IDPs. However, this figure reflects only those people who have transited or are residing in IDP camps. The 600,000 figure attempts to include those people who fled directly to host families or communities without transiting an IDP camp. As of February 12, KRCS reports that 300 IDPs residing in Rift Valley Province have migrated to Kieni Forest in Gatundu District in Central Province over the past few weeks. KRCS has been providing food and plans to distribute emergency relief supplies, including blankets and mattresses, to displaced populations. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) and U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) are in the process of conducting assessments to identify gaps and needs. On February 11, the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team returned to Chief's Camp in East Nairobi, next to Muthare slum. The team reported that approximately 370 IDPs are residing in the area, approximately the same number of people as during the earlier visit in mid-January. The team noted that an additional 300 non-resident women and children visit the camp for food distributions. According to the team, conditions at the camp had improved since the earlier visit. Access to water on site continues to be a problem, as residents reported difficulties in connecting large water tanks to the municipal water supply. Most residents reportedly got water from the nearby police station. ¶5. (SBU) U.S. CITIZENS: Consular wardens from Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western provinces reporting calm, quiet and that life is back to normal. All report that schools, businesses and government offices are open and functioning normally. None reported illegal roadblocks. Kisumu and Eldoret reported that the airports were open and that access to the airports is unrestricted. The warden in Kisumu further reported that his organization made an overland circuit ride to several affiliated organizations throughout Nyanza and Western provinces. He reported no problems (roadblocks, looting) during the circuit ride. The warden in Eldoret is responsible for several rural clinics and made a similar circuit ride to check on them. He too reported no problems traveling to or with the clinics. The warden in Naivasha reported that the Red Cross set up a camp for several thousand Kikuyu IDPs from the Molo area. Some of the large flower farms in Naivasha are still reporting staffing shortages as a result of the civil unrest. Despite the return to normalcy, however, all our wardens report underlying ethnic tensions. Most feel that the outcome of this week's negotiations will determine if the normalcy remains or if violence erupts once again. Rannenberger