Kenya is effectively partitioned by criminal and ethnic violence, triggered by the December 27th presidential ballot. The unrest threatens Kenya’s cohesion as a nation state, with sever consequences for its landlocked neighbours and the East African region. Evidence of vote-rigging has reinforced claims that the presidency was stolen by incumbent Mwai Kibaki, but the roots of the conflict lie in longstanding disputes over land and other resources. The systemic failure of Kenyan institutions to address these grievances will not be diffused by a negotiated settlement between politicians in Nairobi.
