WEDNESDAY, 5.30PM
KENYA’s pro-reform coalition decided on Thursday to go ahead with a national strike to pressure the government for electoral reforms, although the plan has been rejected by two opposition leaders and several trade unions.
The National Convention Executive Council (NCEC), grouping political parties, citizens’ groups and religious leaders, announced it will go ahead with the strike Friday after the government failed to agree to “meaningful” reforms by a Thursday noon deadline.
However, Michael Kijana Wamalwa, leader of the parliamentary opposition and head of the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (Ford-Kenya) party, has rejected the strike. Wamalwa argued that President Daniel arap Moi should negotiate reforms directly with Kenya’s political parties instead of with the NCEC, and said the president had agreed to do so.
Another opposition figure, Kenneth Matiba, leader of the Ford-Asili party, has also rejected the strike call, arguing that the NCEC is not the ideal body to lead negotiations. The Confederation of Trade Unions (COTU) and several other independent unions, apparently angry over not having been consulted by the NCEC, have called on their members to report to work as usual on Friday.
Quite apart from the divisions in the pro-reform coalition, Wamalwa’s stand reflects divisions within his own party. His deputy James Orengo on Wednesday backed the strike call, saying that those who do not observe the strike will be considered “rebels”.