Kenya

I had hoped that the simmering ethno-political conflict in Kenya would ease enough for cooler heads to prevail. Alas, this appears not to be the case. I find it especially troubling that Kenya of all countries is falling victim to the same self-destructive tribalism that has wrecked the rest of the Horn of Africa. After all, Kenya has been relatively stable since the late 60’s, something almost unimaginable when you consider that her neighbors include Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, and Sudan. This was the one decent country surrounded by the Nations of the Damned; living proof that a healthy and thriving society can be built and sustained in that part of the world. The recent disputed election destroyed all of that and kicked off a wave of bloody ethnic violence. Now the police are getting involved, which will only escalate the hostilities. This situation will only be solved through negotiation. Cops using tear gas and truncheons are not the answer. President Kibaki and opposition leader Odinga need to swallow some pride and work together to quell this unrest off before it spins out of control.