04 February 2008

At least 800 people have died in a month of violence in Kenya, which was triggered by a disputed election and rapidly became polarised on ethnic lines.

An estimated 300,000 have fled their homes, and though some are now living with relatives in their ancestral home areas, thousands are still exposed to hardship and danger in temporary camps.

On Friday 1 February Kenya’s political leaders agreed on a roadmap to end the crisis in the country. No one expected the violence to stop immediately, and further clashes and killings were reported within hours. A hitch in the talks led to the withdrawal of the South African businessman and former union leader Cyril Ramaphosa from his mediation role.

Nevertheless, ActionAid welcomed the agreement as a step in the right direction. Roger Yates, ActionAid’s country director in Kenya, said: “We welcome this news and congratulate the mediation teams for their efforts. Any agreement between the leaders is good news. Kenyan politicians must all back the plan in spirit and in action.

"Bringing a quick end to the violence will need decisive action and unambiguous messages from all political leaders. Future negotiations must focus on the recovery of Kenya, not just on the interests of the politicians"

ActionAid is currently working with other agencies to respond to immediate needs of displaced people, while supporting local peace initiatives.