Pushing the Reform Process - Continued Outreach to the

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. -------------- 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 NAIROBI 00002376 002 OF 002 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. -------------- 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