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U.S. Presses Both Sides To Hold Talks In Kenya's Disputed Elections

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 13, 2008

NAIROBI, Kenya - The U.S. government on Saturday took its toughest position yet on Kenya's disputed elections, calling on Kenya's president and opposition leaders to meet immediately and saying that the election was so flawed, it was impossible to know who really won.

"The United States cannot conduct business as usual in Kenya," said the statement by Jendayi E. Frazer, assistant secretary of state for African affairs. Kenya, a close U.S. ally, receives hundreds of millions of dollars in aid each year.
Frazer was in Kenya trying to find an end to a post-election crisis that has killed hundreds of people, but she failed to persuade Mwai Kibaki, Kenya's president, and Raila Odinga, the top opposition leader, to meet.

The two politicians have blamed each other for violence that erupted after disputed election results were announced last month and both claim to have won the most votes.

Several election observers have said there was vote rigging on both sides, but that the government tampered with the vote tallying process to give the president a victory.

The New York Times

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