From: barnhart@ddsw1.MCS.COM (Mr. Aaron Barnhart)
Subject: IPS:KENYA: GOVERNMENT FAILS TO LEVEL FIELD FOR ELECTIONS
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 14:02:13 GMT
Organization: Evanston, Illinois, U.S.A.

Copyright Inter Press Service 1993, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Area: Opecna Morning Transmission
Title: KENYA: GOVERNMENT FAILS TO LEVEL FIELD FOR ELECTIONS


nairobi, dec 28 (ips) -- kenya's electoral process to first
multipaty polls in 26 years has been severely compromised,
the national election monitoring unit (nemu) announced here
monday.

speaking on the eve of the election, nemu's chair, duncan
told journalists the election process has been severely
compromised by the inability of president daniel arap moi's
government to provide a secure electoral atmosphere.

despite persistent requests, ''the government has failed to
level the playing field'' and that some political parties were
''seriously disadvantaged'' even as kenyans get set for the
polls tuesday, said ndegwa, a former central bank of kenya
governor.

the monitoring unit's council of elders concluded at its
session monday that free and fair elections ''remains a remote
possibility'' in 14 constitutencies and in large parts of
north-eastern province.

the province has been virtually inaccessible to some
contestants fielded by opposition parties while the ruling kenya
african national union (kanu) took advantage of its traditional
communication arrangement to communicate its electoral message
easily in these areas.

constituencies in which election contestants have been
handicapped by poor communications are mainly in the
north-western part of the country. they include kacheliba,
kapenguria, sigor, kwanza, saboti, eldoret and turkana in the
rift valley province.

the national election monitoring unit was of the opinion
there was still a possibility of having a fair electoral result
tuesday, but ndegwa said: ''we are doubtful in certain areas
that we have mentioned''.

some observers have already indicated that kanu's seemingly
favourable position in certain parts of the country is due to
its incumbency which enabled the party to maintain a strong grip
on remote districts, particularly in north-eastern province.

tuesday's elections are centred on four major parties, namely
kanu of moi, ford-asili of kenneth matiba, ford-kenya of
jaramogi oginga odinga and democratic party of mwai kibaki.

each of these parties draws great support from the home
provinces of their leaders who are also presidential candidates
in the election. (more/ips)


kenya: kenya (2)

kanu is expected to carry the day in the rift valley province
as ford-asili and democratic party struggle for supremacy
in central province and ford-kenya keeps its flag flying high
in nyanza.

the national election monitoring unit has mobilised 8,569
poll watchers around the country. ndegwa said it would pronounce
its judgement on the entire process thursday when all
parliamentary and presidential election results are due to be
declared.

meanwhile, all political parties and different organisations
in the country have called on kenyans to ensure peace and refrain
from acts of violence and intimidation during election.

prof wangaari mathai, leader of the middle ground group
(mgg) -- one of the local independent election monitoring bodies
-- said monday the process of introducing multipartyism in kenya
has been a very difficult and costly process, particularly in
human terms.

appealing for public calm on election day, mathai warned:
''the real test of our capacity to sustain a progressive process
and society is yet to come''.

according to mathai, the relal test would begin with the
announcement of the election results, ''especially for presidential
candidates who have already declared themselves the winners''.

in a statement on behalf of her group, the famous kenyan
environmentalist and political activist said: ''we must all
ensure calmness prevails by resisting any temptation to nullify
the results with force''. (end/ips/ar/apc/92)
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