Better sense should prevail in Kenya

The inter-tribal violence that has ravaged Kenya following the announcement by President Mwai Kibaki's claim to have won in the December 27 elections continues more or less unabated.

Politicians on all sides of the political divide prayed for peace although there was precious little chance of that occurring while Kibaki and his opposition rival Raila Odinga failed to agree on even the basics of breaking the stalemate.

Both the US and the UK have called upon the leaders to form a united government, to which Kibaki has tentatively agreed. Odinga feels that to do so, even for an interim period while the contentious polls situation is resolved, is tantamount to recognising the fraud of Kibaka's illegally won election.

Odinga is prepared to discuss power sharing but only on condition that Kibaki steps aside as president so talks can take place on an even footing.

Of course, as is common in African politics, it is not just the issue of which political direction either person or party wants to take. Most often, as in this case, it boils down to ethnic or tribal roots.

With a population of nearly 35 million and more than 40 ethnic groups there is likely to be division. Kibaki is a Kikuyu, the largest tribe which forms about 22 per cent of the population; Odinga is a Luo, which is the third largest tribe, representing about 13 per cent of the people.

Deep-seated tribal differences are bound to surface when an election is claimed to have been won by fraudulent means.

What is surprising is the speed at which the violence erupted despite calls from would-be mediators including Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But the requests went unheeded. It may yet be, though, that hunger, homelessness, death and illness will bring normality to a country that has rarely seen such political divisions.