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Kenya Electoral Violence

IASC

9th January 2008

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(Geographical Coordination and Monitoring Section)

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Humanitarian Overview• Political violence taken on ethnic dimensions• Roots in long standing perceived/actual inequalities• ‘Protection’ Crisis. Protection must be ‘mainstreamed’ through all interventions.• 500+ people killed. Most violence directed at Kikuyus. • Government of Kenya estimates 255,000 people internally displaced. UN will use these figures. 3

month timeframe• Tension easing in some pockets of the country, but increased displacement of people in other

areas, who are now camping in police stations, churches, schools and market centres.• Movement of people around Eldoret and Kericho: convoys observed moving out of Eldoret and

heading for Nakuru (estimates of 50,000 people?).• Busia, Bungoma, Burnt Forest, Eldoret, Kibera and Mathare reported as the worst affected areas.• Many people were vulnerable before the violence: moderate/chronic malnutrition, poor access to

health facilities and livelihood opportunities.• Assessments ongoing. Humanitarian action reports (see following slides) not based on needs

assessments, but upon what has been delivered. This should be improved with implementation of cluster reporting. Must ensure that response is needs based and proportional.

• Previous displacements have resulted in land dispossession and need for resettlement (especially true in Rift valley where Kikuyus were given land in Kenyetta era, and now displaced to Nakuru)

• Most aid delivery is/will be done by KRCS and NGOs and local partners. Need for strong coordination and reporting to avoid duplication and gaps. Local capacity should be supported and not undermined.

• Kenya has had ongoing humanitarian concerns (Tana river flooding displacements, Mount Elgon and Molo pre election displacements, potential locust infestations ?)

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Refugees

• 3,300 Kenyans have crossed to Uganda:

• 1,300 are in Malaba, • 1, 400 in Busia and 600 in Lwakava. Most of the people in Lwakava are from

Bungoma region and were affected by conflict in Mt Elgon. • Displaced in Busia and Malaba were people who were staying in the two border

towns.

• The Uganda Government is taking the lead in humanitarian assistance with help from Uganda Red Cross Society.

• Confirmation was received that Tanzania and Uganda borders are both officially closed but people are still managing to get out.

• UNHCR has been asked by the Government of Uganda to assist with a few tents that can house the most vulnerable and establish medical centres.

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Political Developments

• Impasse continues between President Kibaki and Raila Odinga . However, some indication that both sides are showing signs of flexibility.

• Kibaki willing to consider a re-run/re-count following established mechanisms. Opposition rejects this saying it has little faith in the independence of national institutions.

• New cabinet formed. Musyoka, who came third in election, named as vice-president. No-one from the main opposition party was appointed. Violence reported in Nairobi against Musyoka’s Kamba ethnic group (from east Kenya). Violent protest also in Kisumu.

• Kibaki has sent delegation to meet President Kufuor in Ghana to discuss AU mediation. Kufuor now in Nairobi. High profile international mediation efforts.

• Internal mediation efforts by ‘Partnership for Peace network’. Apparently successful in influencing the opposition to call off rally twice now.

• Parliament opens 15th January (?)

• SG hopes to appoint Special Envoy.

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Humanitarian Response(Food)

Response:

• Eldoret: 380 tons of pulses, nutritious corn-soya blend (CSB) and vegetable oil, enough food to feed more than 38,000 displaced for two weeks.

• Nairobi: stocks that WFP can draw on as soon as a plan to provide food assistance to the hungry in Nairobi’s slums is agreed by the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRC), other partners, church-based organizations and the authorities.

• Kisumu: 40 tons, where WFP partners report 3,000 displaced people are in desperate need of food.

• Northern Rift Valley KRCS distributed 229 tons of food to 42,000 people One issue is that the displaced population is in flux with people using the relative calm to move.

• WFP is drawing on stocks from its other operations in Kenya. The borrowed food for the current emergency will need to be repaid.

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Humanitarian Response(Shelter/NFI)

Response:• (2,000 “housing plots” prepared by IOM and the Kenya Red Cross in Eldoret Will

shelter 10,000 people and eventually accommodate 30,000 IDPs)

• ICRC/KRCS: Eldoret, Kisumu, Nairobi (sent for distribution/distributed) – Kitchen sets: 3,300– Blankets: 14,300– Mosquito nets: 7,500– Tarpaulin: 7,300– Jerry cans: 13,800

Planned:• UNICEF pre-positioned 15,000 family kits including blankets, plastic sheeting,

cooking sets, soap and jerry cans sufficient for 100,000 people. KRCS will distribute 8,000 of these.

• UNHCR: Has supplies for 50,000 people in Nairobi and will bring in additional items from regional stockpiles for another 50,000 people. 24 tonnes of blankets and soap moved from Dadaab warehouses.

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Humanitarian Response

(Water Sanitation Hygiene)

• Water situation improved in Eldoret, Burnt Forest and Nakuru with the IDPS enjoying running water (KRCS)

• Londiani, an IDP camp comprising 408 families (75 % children under 10 y.o) using one stand pipe with no storage capacity. Supplementary water supply from river is 2 kms away (KRCS)

Response: (No reports on completed activities)

Planned• UNICEF aiming for life-saving water

and sanitation for 100,000 IDPs; • Oxfam moving watsan equipment for

50,000 people.

(Nutrition)

Need• Anticipated that malnutrition will

rapidly worsen due to insecurity and lack of access to food and assistance, destruction of farms and loss of family livelihoods.

• Many children already living in ultra-poverty at bare subsistence levels.

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Humanitarian Response(Health)

Need: • Health centers in many areas rendered non-functional due to limited staff and lack of

supplies (MSF)• Dozens of cases of rape and GBV reported and need for post-rape treatment.• Concerns over continued supply of medication to 3,000 TB and HIV/AIDS patients in

Kibera and other parts of W. Kenya: population displacements could interrupt treatment protocols

Response:• GoK also provided 3.5 MT assorted medicines for IDPs in Eldoret, Kisumu, Homa

Bay, Kitale and Nandi. • ICRC surgical teams in Eldoret and Bingoma• MSF is supporting health services in Eldoret, Mt Elgon, Busia, Kisumu, Kuresoi and in

Kibera and Mathare Valley areas of Nairobi. • UNFPA is donating 1,000 post rape kits to Nairobi Women’s Hospital

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Humanitarian Response(Education)

Need:• The Government has announced that opening of schools will be delayed by one week

to January 15th. • 4,500 +/- primary schools are in the affected areas: student population of 2.16 million• It is assumed that at least a quarter of these children will be in areas and have

difficulty attending school

Response (No reports on completed activities)

Planned (no numbers)• Set up temporary classrooms (tents); • Train teachers and School Management Committees, to identify and support children

who have witnessed or been exposed to violence and are suffering from stress; • Provision of education kits and recreational kits ; • Psycho-social social support (families/children and women); • Education for tolerance and citizenship (with special attention to HIV/AIDS and

Peace).

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Coordination• No official request from the Government of Kenya for international assistance

• Emergency response coordination in Kenya is usually led by the Office of the President, primarily to respond to chronic crisis. The National Disaster Operations Centre has been tasked with overall coordination of the emergency response as of January 5th.

• The Kenya Red Cross Society is mandated by the government as the leading agency in sudden onset disasters and has offered to provide interim coordination leadership. Since the KRCS may be overstretched, shared KRCS-UN coordination is being explored linked with the UN DMT, built on cluster approach.

• District commissioners have been organizing and coordinating local relief efforts through district development committees and in conjunction with humanitarian partners.

• Not an HC country. OCHA has sent surge capacity to support the RC.

• Cluster approach requested by Nairobi for endorsement by IASC 9th January.

• OCHA has set up a centralized information centre that should be accessed through: http://ochaonline2.un.org/Default.aspx?tabid=10370

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Security and Access

• No security issues affecting humanitarian personnel reported.• Situation calming but still characterized as tense and unstable.

• UN Security Phases:– 2 in Nairobi and Mombassa– 3 in Eldoret, Nyanza and western provinces (pending SG approval).

• UNDSS assessment mission ongoing, due to report back at the weekend.

• Delays and back log at Mombassa port.• Aid moving to Eldoret with military escort (transporters wouldn’t travel without) • Reports of displaced people moving from Eldoret to Nakuru with military escort.

• Ethnicity of national staff an issue???

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Funding(reported by governments on relief web)

Who/what

ICRC/KRCS: emergency supplies/water/medicalICRC/KRCS: medical/food/water/NFI/shelterConcern/Trocaire: shelter/sanitation/foodICRC/KRCS: food/shelter/water/healthn/aICRC/KRCS: food/NFI/hygiene/medical/waterICRC/KRCS: incl blankets/shelterICRC/KRCS: logistical/material support

Pledges

Netherlands: $2,200,000United Kingdom: $2,000,000Ireland: $1,470,000Canada: $1,000,000Australia: $ 880,000Germany: $ 440,000United States $ 200,000Switzerland: $180,000TOTAL $ 8,370,000

Flash Appeal expected next week.

CERF request with OCHA NY for ‘fast tracking’

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Regional Aspects

Somalia: • International media has shifted its attention away from ‘ worst

humanitarian crisis in Africa’.• Logistical impact minimal:

– UNHAS flights resumed on Sunday 5th January, – Reported problems at the port of Mombassa have not affected its operations or

the delivery of food aid to Somalia.– Staff able to travel as usual

• The fuel situation in the region affected with sharp price rises in particular Rwanda, Uganda and DRC.

Kenya:• Economic impact is expected with the shilling dropping and Kenya stock market

registering losses of up to 10%. GoK estimates a loss of $1 Billion so far.• North Eastern Province, and Turkana districts reporting commercial and transport

disruptions; price rises and food scarcity