As chief mediator in the violent aftermath of Kenya’s 2007 presidential election, Kofi Annan’s authority, background and personality contributed greatly to a successful mediation. This paper, published by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), is a record of an interview conducted with Annan by the CHD on the Kenyan mediation process. In Annan’s words: ‘I knew what was happening in the country, I wanted (the mediators) to move. (I was pushing them) because people are dying.’
The eruption of violence after the 2007 elections in Kenya highlighted long-standing tensions caused by inequalities in wealth and political ethnic divisions. African heads of state deployed the African Union (AU) Panel of Eminent Personalities to Kenya, led by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Annan’s main concern was to avoid further escalation of violence and maintain a rapid pace in the talks while changing his strategy to adapt to developments. His efforts led to a successful ‘African solution to an African problem’.
Annan had two general goals at the outset of the mediation process: to address the ethnic element of the violence and resolve the election question. The following general summary of the mediation process highlights Annan’s leadership role:
- The United States and other powers expressed their trust and support of Annan. Annan credits his success in this mediation in part to his ability to communicate directly with all interested heads of state.
- On his first day in Kenya, Annan brought Kenyan President Kibaki and opposition candidate Raila Odinga together to shake hands. Judging it was too early to begin negotiations, he talked to them instead about conflicts, events in Africa and Kenya’s current situation.
- The two men agreed quickly on the agenda – their first public agreement. They then moved on to issues of violence and humanitarianism.
- The political solution involved deciding whether to stage another election or devise a power-sharing arrangement. Annan said he put all issues on the table and guided them to the conclusion that they had no option but to share power.
- The legal working group behind the process provided clear, unambiguous legal language that contributed to the final power-sharing agreement.
The following comments by Annan reflect his approach to the mediation process:
- “I had come to the conclusion early that an (election) rerun would be a bad decision, and bad decisions get people killed.”
- “When I realised they (Kibaki and Odinga) were not ready, I didn’t push. Because it’s like trying to arrange a marriage before they are ready.”
- “Before these meetings… I saw non-governmental organisations… churches, businesses and promised them a transparent process…”
- “Most people feel that when you are in a difficult situation you have to ‘do something’. It doesn’t occur to them that sometimes the best thing to do is just sit.”
