Year in Review 2005 - Searching for a constitution

Voting on 21 November passed off peacefully, despite heightened political partisanship and ethnic polarisation between those who campaigned in support of the draft constitution, and those who opposed it. Violence during campaigning left some eight people dead, all shot by the police. Kibaki reacted to the referendum debacle by dissolving his entire cabinet and reconstituting it two weeks later, having removed from government eight ministers who led the campaign against the adoption of the proposed constitution. On 7 December, in another awkward moment for the president, about 20 politicians who had been given posts in the new cabinet refused to take up their appointments, citing lack of consultation with their respective parties. Some of those who had declined posts as cabinet ministers or deputy ministers, eventually agreed to serve in Kibaki's government after extracting some concessions from the president in terms of more posts for members of their parties. Some members of the Orange Democratic Movement, the umbrella body formed to campaign against the constitution, suggested that in early 2006 they might table in parliament a motion of no-confidence against Kibaki's government in a bid to force a general election. If that happens, Kibaki will find himself facing another political battle in his already turbulent tenure, which began in 2003. Interethnic conflict In one of the most vicious eruptions of conflict in northern Kenya in recent years, more than 70 people were killed in Marsabit district on 12 July when armed raiders, believed to have been members of the Borana ethnic group, attacked villages inhabited by the Gabra community. Scores were wounded and thousands displaced. The attack underlined the volatility of relationships between communities in arid areas, where pasture and water sources are often limited and rivalry between pastoralists is intense. The European Commission (EC) announced on 15 December that it would provide 2 million euros (US $2,416,480) of humanitarian aid to those who were affected by July's violence in Marsabit. The aid would cover food, water and sanitation, as well as provide protection for those caught up in the clashes. "The level of poverty and unemployment leaves [Kenya's] northern and northeastern areas, bordering Somalia, Ethiopia and Uganda, vulnerable to crime and insecurity," the EC said in a statement. "The effect is an ever-growing and increasing cycle of ethnic tension and violence." Food security On the humanitarian front, 2005 ended with the government and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) reporting worsening food security in most of the country's pastoral areas in the north and northeast, and in marginal agricultural districts in the south. On 18 December, John Munyes, special projects minister, appealed for food aid, saying thousands of people in the arid north and east were experiencing severe food shortages following the failure of the October-December 2005 short rains. WFP warned on 16 December that the failure of the rains could cause the number of people needing food aid to rise to 2.5 million. Inadequate rainfall was likely to prompt a serious food crisis over the first half of 2006, according to UN agencies, including WFP, nongovernmental organisations, donors and government officials. Livestock deaths had been reported because of a lack of water, pasture and other factors, WFP said. The deaths of large numbers of camels and donkeys in the north and east immediately after Kenya's "short rains" in November, were a clear warning sign, the agency added. "We are sounding the alarm now because of what the early-warning indicators are all showing: a rapidly deteriorating situation. We need immediate action to avoid the loss of people's assets and their lives," said Tesema Negash, the WFP's country director for Kenya. The WFP said it was facing a $46 million shortfall in its $127 million emergency operation to assist drought-affected people in Kenya through the middle of 2006. "Now the numbers are bound only to go up," said Negash in a statement. "We must receive donations as early as possible in 2006, or it will be too late for many people." The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also reissued on 19 December its earlier appeal for $4 million to assist more than 20,000 children who are malnourished or at serious risk of malnutrition. The appeal also included programmes to keep children in school, ensure safe water supplies and provide emergency healthcare and protection. Heimo Laakkonen, UNICEF's Kenya representative, said in a statement that rates of child malnutrition in districts like drought-hit Wajir and Mandera, may increase from the already alarming levels of almost 30 percent reported in October. "The dry weather is predicted to continue," said Laakkonen. "Given that the situation can only get worse, it is imperative that all partners and the government act swiftly to protect the most vulnerable children and women."