Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

In the face of the unprecedented violence which engulfed Kenya following the contested outcome of the December elections, the leadership of both parties deserve respect for reaching consensus through comprise in the interest of restoring peace and in Kenya.

We recognize that this important agreement is the first step in a much needed reform process to address the underlying causes of the political conflict that manifested itself over the outcome of the elections.

NIMD calls on the leadership of all political parties in Kenya to join this spirit of consensus seeking and to work to an early implementation of the needed political and constitutional reforms and to redress the social and humanitarian crises caused by the conflict.

NIMD also wishes to congratulate Dr Kofi Annan and his team of African eminent persons for their skilful facilitation of the agreement.


Broad salvation forum

From the beginning of the crisis NIMD has assisted Kenyan initiatives to get the warring parties around the negotiation table. Pivot in the reconciliation efforts is NIMD's local partner, Centre for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya (CMD-Kenya), which has actively sought a peaceful solution to the political crisis.

Immediately after the crisis started, CMD-Kenya’s Executive Director Mrs Njeri Kabeberi and her colleagues have mobilized politicians from the main parties to re-invigorate interparty dialogue. During the last months they received various death threats.

Soon after the violence spread through the country CMD-Kenya initiated a Peace Forum of Kenyan Parliamentarians. This forum met with Kofi Annan and included MPs from the violence struck Rift Valley and Central regions.

On 27 February the political parties cooperating in CMD-Kenya initiated a broad ‘salvation forum’ consisting of all political parties and civil society groups (trade unions, churches, business community, professional groups). CMD-Kenya will facilitate this “Multisectoral National Salvation Forum” to create a larger representation of stakeholders to assist in finding a sustainable solution to the current crisis by addressing extensive national issues. The forum will monitor the implementation of the Peace Agreement.