The contemporary political history of the Republic of Kenya, 2001

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Ruling KANU Set to Merge With Opposition Party
By Tervil Okoko, Panafrican News Agency, 6 January 2001. The ruling Kenya African National Union or KANU and opposition National Development Party or NDP laid the groundwork for a merger after two years of operational co-operation. The two parties will soon be one. The Luo community, politically and economicaly marginalized owing to its being in the opposition, eagerly awaits the merger.
Kenya To Reform Labour Sector
PANA, 18 January 2001. Conformity with ILO conventions needed to participate in the international market. An ambitious reform plan that, i.a., outlaws child labour. allows free movement of labor within member states of the recently re-launched East African Community, an East African Industrial Court and the harmonisation of labour laws in the EAC region.
Nude Women Disrupt Primate Research Work
PANA, 7 February 2001. 300 local naked women attack a World Bank funded research project, presumably because it threatened their ancestral land.
Moi Grooming Raila, Claims MP
By Claire Gatheru and William Orende, The Nation, 19 March 2001. Possibility that NDP leader Raila Odinga is hand picked successor. The NDP recently upgraded its relations with Kanu to a partnership. Split in Kanu and coming election.
Kenya's Parliament in an Uproar Over Forest Destruction
By Tom Osanjo, Environment News Service, 19 April 2001. Members of Parliament launch an attack against the government accusing it of systematically destroying forests. The government's massive forest excision plan for settlement and farming, vs. a master plan on forest rehabilitation, protection of rivers and vegetation to be supervised by the National Environment Management and Coordination Act.
When Sucking Blood Became a Social Need
By Mutuma Mathiu, The Nation (Nairobi), Opinion, 22 April 2001. Street-level political opinion believes the Government has destroyed the people's lives and that, though change in political leadership would automatically improve things, cunning people are standing in its way to ultimately ensure that the status quo is maintained.
A Dignified Exit is What Moi Deserves
Opinion by Gitau Warigi, The Nation (Nairobi), 13 May 2001. The law is specific that this is President Moi's final term, and the only way to go around it will be to flout the law, which the President has so far given no indication he will do. The language of intolerance and exclusion that has tended to cloud this presidency should be dropped. There is nothing the current presidency can do now to bring life back to the economy.
What Next for the War-Torn Regions?
The Nation (Nairobi), 17 May 2001. President Moi's attempt to disarm groups in the North Rift who are trapped by endemic conflict. The President ordered the Pokot, Marakwet and Baringo residents to hand in their guns, but they fear doing so.
Union Opposes KPLC Reforms
The Nation (Nairobi), 17 May 2001. Unionisable employees of Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) want the planned restructuring of the firm stopped. The members of the Kenya Electrical Trade and Allied Worker's Union want to be represented in the restructuring process because a notice of redundancy was issued.
New Party for Moi Opponents
The Nation (Nairobi), 19 May 2001. The National Convention Executive Council (NCEC) re-launches the People's Party of Kenya (PPK) to give NCEC human rights activists a political voice and in reaction to the faiths-led Constitutional Reform Group's conciliatory appoach and absorption into the government's Parliamentary review commission.
Radicals in Plan to Control Parliament
The Nation (Nairobi), 20 May 2001. Team Radicals launch the PPK political party and unveil plans to gain control of the next Parliament. The party's organising secretary, Mr. Richard Kalembe Ndile, was arrested for inciting farmers. The Limuru-based advocates complete radical social-democracy and reaches out to the young and oppressed rather than the rich and exploitative.
ILO Paper Debate On
By Njeri Rugene, The Nation (Nairobi), 7 June 2001. The Government brought before the House a Sessional Paper on the action it proposes to take on International Labour Organisation conventions, but tabled. Need for law to counter multi-national employment discrimination based on race.
Kenya
BBC Country Profile, 12 June, 2001. A brief compendium of facts, including a simple map.
The Brighter Side of Kanu-NDP Bloc
The Nation (Nairobi), Editorial, 17 June 2001. For the first time in close to 40 years, we have a coalition government, with Kanu as the senior partner and the National Development Party (NDP) as the junior.
Criticism Mounts Over Moi Remarks On Civic Education
The Nation (Nairobi), 23 July 2001. Leaders countrywide criticised President Moi and three of his Cabinet ministers over their remarks that NGOs and churches be excluded from civic education programs. President Moi strives to prevent privatization of civil education.