The Impact of Postelection
Violence on the Street Vendors and Informal Traders in Kenya
As of January 18, 2008
On December 27, 2007, street vendors and informal
traders — alongside millions of other Kenyan citizens — voted to
elect their leaders against a backdrop of election pledges made by
presidential, parliamentary, and civic candidates to improve their
lives. Yet, a flawed electoral process, which drew calls for an
independent investigation and a revote, plunged the country into
violence and chaos. The ensuing political, economic, and social
crisis has severely affected the lives and livelihoods of informal
workers in Kenya, particularly street vendors.
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The Kenya Crisis: Roots
& Ripple Effects
Politics and poverty at the root
While the media is reporting that postelection violence in Kenya
stems from tribal rivalries, a closer analysis shows that the
real roots of the growing crisis lie in deep economic injustice,
a skewed distribution of political power, political manipulation
of ethnic identities, and the persistent failure to respect
civil liberties and democratic processes. A closer look also
reveals long-simmering economic and political problems that have
finally reached the boiling point.
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Kenya: Fear overtaking hope
(January 11, 2008)
"We are being brave,
but it's really bad. The nation is so agitated, and we are living in
intense fear, anxiety, and danger. It really seems that the ordinary
person’s daily life, hope, and spirit have been destroyed. We were
in a cease-fire with the hope that mediation would take place, but
now I think those hopes are dashed,” said Bahahi, one of UUSC’s
partner leaders.
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