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Goran Tomasevic / Reuters
Five years after more than 1,200 people were killed in election-related violence, Kenyans went to the polls in a nationwide election seen as the most important in the country's 50-year history since independence.
NAIROBI, Kenya - At least 15 people were killed in attacks by machete-wielding gangs on Monday as Kenyans lined-up to vote in a presidential election they hope will rebuild the nation's image after a disputed 2007 poll unleashed weeks of tribal bloodshed.
Just hours before the start of voting and with long queues across the east African country, at least nine security officers in Kenya's restive coastal region were hacked to death, and six attackers were also killed, regional police chief Aggrey Adoli said. The total toll had earlier been put at 17.
There were two separate attacks which senior police officers blamed on a separatist movement - which, if confirmed, would suggest different motives to those that caused the post-2007 vote ethnic killings and could limit their impact.
Officials and candidates have made impassioned appeals to avoid a repeat of the tribal rampages that erupted five years ago when disputes over the poll result fuelled clashes between tribal loyalists of rival candidates.
More than 1,200 people were killed, shattering Kenya's reputation as one of Africa's most stable democracies and bringing its economy to a standstill.
As in 2007, the race has come down to a high-stakes duel between two candidates, this time between Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the loser in 2007 to outgoing President Mwai Kibaki. Both contenders will depend heavily on votes from tribal loyalists.
The United States and Western donors are worried about the stability of a nation that is an ally in the fight against militant Islam in the region but are also fretting what to do if the victor is Kenyatta, who faces charges by the International Criminal Court of orchestrating violence five years ago.
Provisional results could emerge hours after polls close at 5 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET) although the election commission has seven days to announce the official outcome. Polls suggest the election could go to a run-off, provisionally set for April.
Jan 28, 2008: Ethnic clashes have killed more than 800 people across Kenya, and post-election violence threatens to engulf a country that has long been a model of stability in Africa. NBC's Ned Colt reports.
"If elected, we will be able to discharge our duties," said Kenyatta's running mate, William Ruto who also faces charges of crimes against humanity. "We shall cooperate with the court with a final intention of clearing our names."
'We want our own country'
One of the attacks on Monday took place outside Mombasa and another in Kilifi about 80 miles to the north. Senior police officers blamed them on a separatist movement, the Mombasa Republican Council (MRC), which wanted the national vote scrapped and a referendum on secession instead.
At the Kilifi site, Reuters footage showed a piece of paper on the ground with the words: "MRC. Coast is not Kenya. We don't want elections. We want our own country." But there was no formal claim and no independent confirmation of the assailants.
Even before the violence, many Kenyans were wary, notably in flashpoints last time. Some shopkeepers ran down stocks and some people in mixed tribal areas returned to their homelands.
Bernard Otundo, 36, queuing in Nairobi shortly before polls opened at 6 a.m. said he expected a peaceful vote.
Jan. 2, 2008: More than 100,000 people across Kenya have left their homes after riots and violence erupted following a disputed presidential election. NBC's Martin Fletcher reports.
"Some of us have been here as early as 2 a.m. this morning. I got here slightly after 3 a.m.," he said. "There have been a lot of awareness campaigns against violence and I don't think it will happen this time around, whatever the outcome."
Kenya's neighbors are watching nervously, after their economies felt the shockwaves when violence five years ago shut down trade routes running through east Africa's biggest economy. Some landlocked states have stockpiled fuel and other materials.
Adding to tension, the al Shabaab Islamist militant group battling Kenyan peacekeeping troops in Somalia, repeated calls on Nairobi to remove its forces, threatening retaliation.
Related:
PhotoBlog: Kenya braces for elections
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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The only thing to stop a machete wielding bad guy is a good guy with a Woodsmans Pal. From my cold dead hands.
GM StonePipe
Killing by machete does not happen just in Africa. Throughout the Caribbean Islands, this phenomenon happens - steal livestock, steal wife, steal coconuts and sometimes there is "bad blood feuds" among the inhabitants.... Usually it is not in the cities but out in rural areas and the small villages that are on the islands.
For Gods sake.... why areare there no machete free zones in this country? No one has a legitamate need for a bladed weapon 3 feet long! The only reasonable solution is to begin by limiting blade lengths to 4" or less. Its time we have an honest conversation about these deadly weapons of sharpened steel.
So have we heard yet if O'bama won the election yet? This was his true calling. He'd have been all over deez machaytay tingz.
And top of the day to you Jack. Not a good way to go in my opinion. Have a great day.
actually tapdg there are many legitimate uses for a blade of that size especially when you live in a jungle or densely-vegitative area / are a farmer. Just because this group of thugs misused these tools doesn';t mean that you need to end their use for the entire country or else it could all go to hell and then you'll be complaining that these people have no means with which to farm or expand their citites. don't be an ignorant please and realize that the world that you live in is different from the world that the vast majority of the world does you goon.
Ban machetes
Where's Batman when ya need him?
How big a magaizine did those machetes have? Did they have more than 7 blades?
"How big a magazine did those machetes have? Did they have more than 7 blades?"
I understand that the Swiss Army actually has such a weapon and there is a conspiracy to distribute them worldwide with no background checks....where is the humanity?
msnbcnews left out the fact that George Obama (Barack's brother) is running for Governor in Kenya. I wonder if it was his supporters using the machetes or on the receiving end?
Jack: the machete-weilding areas of the Caribbean are basically Africa West. Same people, different jungle.
Could you mean........"George, George, George of the Jungle?"
gm stonepipe, jack, lafalot
@LitterHater (Post #1.5): How do you like your post if you replace "blade" with "gun/magazine" and replace "farmer" with "hunter?"
Hmmmmm. Interesting Denver!
I was in Nicaragua and got chased by 4 guys with Machetes. It will put some pep in your step, No doubt about it.
Good afternoon, all the above. Dang it Blutowski if you weren't hanging around their girls stuff like that would never happen! I bet even I could move pretty fast.
I was coming home from a date.
You can flirt with girls as long as their boyfriends aren't Big Land owners or BIG HONCHOS.
These guys were just punks looking to make a buck. Peasant gang bangers.
What's the difference between a ZOO and the White House?
One has an African Lion - and the other - a Lyin' African.
Ooooooooooooo *CHOP!*
So many questions need to be answered here. Were the machetes registered? Were the men with the machetes required to go to an anger management class? Were the machetes the regular machetes or the aggressive assault style type? Was there a required waiting time to purchase a machete? Was Obama involved? So many questions needed here.
No doubt the machete wielding gangs were the local Muslim factions trying out their campaign strategy.
Or - new GOP pilot program to suppress the vote? That's if the current steal the electoral vote strategy doesn't work. (sorry for snark, couldn't resist)
newsgirl, you inflate American problems to try and make them equivalent to the horrors of Africa facing Islamist terror. Narcissistic of you.
But don't worry. Barry will bring more of his relatives here and you'll get to experience it.
Just another branch of the black panthers. Obama probably orchestrated this mess.
Maybe we should ban all high capacity machetes.
Guess this was one of obama's father's dreams.
this is one reason why colonialism was Africa's best chance of being something better than what it is.....
Wow how special. Some places just can't handle democracy. You may get chopped up while waiting on line to vote. Where are the AK-47 wielding police when you need them.
An unarmed population where only the criminal mobs and the security forces are armed.
Sounds eerily similar to the Utopia the anti-gun people want.
So how did Barry do in the election?
He beat Romney by 4,660,833 votes. That is, slightly less than 1.5% of the population.
Maybe we should ban stupidity like all the idiots commenting.
One clown with a machete wouldn't able to kill 22 kids in a school
You are very ignorant of the lethality of the machete.
glenn you arevery ignorant to what he was saying, he's agreeing that machetes can end people's lives when an atack happens but he's also saying that the range of these weapons is about 3 feet so when everyone the attacker is after scatters he'll only be able to take down the people closest to him and maybe run down a few but the overall toll of the attack will be not nearly as big as it could be with other weapons. still though this crap is rediculous and it's a shame to see barbarians running around thinking that heir justified in killing people who are just trying to better their country, kinda reminds me of george foreeman.
Because the Nanping massacre never happened?
The deadliest "school massacre" in the history of America was the Bath School disaster.
Sandy Hook, an appalling tragedy, is still fresh in our minds. Not long ago, McVeigh took out 168, including 19 children.
Nobody is denying a firearm makes it "easier*, but a person with intent will "do the job" regardless of the tools at hand. Maybe you're comfortable trying to defend yourself against someone larger than you, holding a melee weapon, but I like the idea that anyone can defend him or herself against an aggressor with essentially an "even playing field."
So does the Supreme Court. (DC vs. Heller.)
Ban all assault machetes!
In the United States, Congress would only restrict certain color machetes, and how the tip is shaped. Oh and forget about any type of a better grip. Generally only making it more difficult for law abiding machete owners to use the tool correctly.
This is Africa we're talking about, so why is this news? Machete wielding thugs have been killing people all over the place there for eons.
Exactly right, "TIA." Explains a lot.
are they sure that was not Obama's black panthers at it again ?
stop being racist tigerm, the article doesn';t even say whetehr or not the alleged offenders were african-american nevermind whether or not they are a part of an avowed racist-propoganda extemist group you moron.
@LitterHater;
Seeming how this happened in Kenya, I'm willing to bet these offenders were African-Africans.
As far as the comment about Obama, isn't that where he's from?
racist...? nah, black panthers arent racist, what am i thinking. i am sure they were bunch of white crakers wearing sheets and yielding machettes, couldnt have been africans.
I guess you can take the African out of Africa, But you cat take the Africa out of an African.
jpinm, just because one group of people is the majority population that doesn't mean that you can automatically assume that when a crime's committed there that a member of that group did it - if you heard that somone was murdered in burlington, vermont would you automatically assume that the offender was a white? he knows what he was doinng, it was overtly racist, and oama was born in america hence why he can now be america's president but i'm sure that with your backwoods education you wouldn't udnerstand that anyway you hick.
LitterHater...the article doesn't mention that they are "African American" because they are African Africans....you moron.
Check your "backwoods education" grammar and spelling while you're at it. It's atrocious.
Yep JP, the news even showed them to be black on TV. Perhaps they were whites that spray painted themselves so we should not assume
well you can speculate all that you want tigerm but until you have actually facts all it does is shows how much of a sensationalist-sarah you are so stop trying to be cool and actually read the article for a change and you might learn some things about the story.
stop trying to be a point-dexter with your word-corrrections bigfatjoe, you know what I meant and as a decendant of african-heritage myself I find it offense that you'd use the term "african-africans" since that assumes that all people of africa were originally of colour which is not the case at all.
so how are they african americans if they dont even live in this country ?
@LitterHater;
Nice to see you are so open minded when it comes to people.
because maybe they were tourists or emmigrated their legally like millions of people do a year, do I really need to explain citizenship issues to you as well now?
well jpinm, when people like you hold to long-ago disproven theories it's hard to do anything else otther than assume that it's their environmment that they live in which is the real problem going on like in your case I'm sure.
@LitterHater
So it kinda sounds like you judge people based on their environment? Or just where they live? People like you are the worst type of people there are. No different that the people you are so gallantly fighting in your crusade for equality.
Or self gratification.
Whatever.
no jpinm, I'm not judging people based on where they live I'm simply seeing that their minds are overpowered by messages of hate and inequality which surround many people in some areas of the world on a daily basis and using that to explain why they're saying the twisted and morally-appalling things that they are. i blieve that all people are naturally good and then get corrupted by things such as their environment or imporper hygiene and it sounds like that may also be what's happening to you which is why you're being so generally negative. i'm jusst attempting to rationalize why you believe the nonsense that you suppossedly do and i'm giving you an excuse if you do happpen to live in a craphole like oakland or cleavland.
none of you idiots know anything about africa so stop sayng what their demographics are like until you've actually been there like I havve and seen how truly diverse and inspiring their population is you panzies.
I dont have to read the article....typical thug african murders, been happening every day on that continent in every African province for generations but all of a sudden white people are doing all of the killing...lmao. BTW, that same thug mentality has spilled over into our country so now we now where they thug mentality came from, from all of their ancestors. And do us a favor and move back to Africa
you're the one that needs to go to africa and expand your very narrow and offense world-view you scraw. The "thug mentality" isn't originally african, european rulers and nobility throughout history have been thousands of times more harsh and abusive towards their people than africans ever have been or currently are and you think that the real thugs in chicago shooting down people for no reason right now gain their inspiration for the crimes by loooking to the african continent? seriously you're a giant toolbag and need to go do some ressearch before you spout off anti-people progoganda like that ever again you stooge.
Dude, crime and anger is and inherited thing and already in their blood for their thug ancestors.... and in looking at the pic with this article, do you see anything other than black folks ? as far as going to africa, why would i want to pay and go there? i sometimes feel i am already in africa here for free.
without having any real indicator about who the people in this photograph are it's hard to tell but the gentleman in about the 17th row back second person in appears to be a polynesian national and three of the people lined up side by side towards the middle are most defiantely creole and the two individuals walking on the side of the road are likely western journalists. what's your poinnt though? yes the majjority of the population of the people in kenya are of colour but that doesn't mean that when a crime's committed that one of them had to havve done it.
@ LitterHater - "Officials and candidates have made impassioned appeals to avoid a repeat of the tribal rampages that erupted five years ago when disputes over the poll result fuelled clashes between tribal loyalists of rival candidates."
Personally, I've not heard of too many white tribes involved in tribal clashes in Kenya.
kdubofd, even in your quotation above it doesn't say anything about those ruffians being black so I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me. There are deinfately white gangsters there as well as coloured ones but that doesn't excuse either group because they are all criminals and should be dealt with accordingly. the issue i have is with rabbble-rousers like yourself who try to make this about race when really it's a problem with poverty, moral-deviations, and greed and should be looked at like that not as "oh there was another macheete attack today in kenya, geeze those black-africans sure are violent". like you're basically trying to say.
Sounds like they're getting voter suppresion tips from the GOTP.
@LitterHater;
I might just be a back woods moron or stooge like you say, but if I'm not mistaken modern science tells us that all of humanity originated in Africa only to move away and evolve. That makes us all Africans! Some just a little more evolved than others. African Africans are not African Americans, But they both sure seem to have a problem with the populous when it comes to violent crime.
well if your evolving-out-of-africa theory is right then I guess we're all african-(insert your nationality heere)'s then which should make you have even more respect for thhese people since they are just like you but isntead you go on these racist diatribes and just show how insecure you must really be with your own identity whhich is unfortuante but should not be a reasson to lash out at otherrs.
I consider myself a Nationalist, Meaning the whole African American thing is BS! If you are an American you have the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as me. I don't care which color you are, if you are American you are just like me. Its when people(Any ethnic group, whites included) claim dual citizenship and feel like they should have more rights, privileges, and fewer responsibilities, (I'm not just picking on one group, there is bad and good in all.) Is what I have a problem with. And as far as African Africans, F-them they live in Africa we have are own problems to deal with over here in America.
you almost had me agreeing with you until you went on that racist african-african rant again dude. Why the hell can't you realize that they are worthy of respect, decent treatment, and help where it can be provided to them. If we were in a tough spot and they were the world's dominant power we'd look to them for some assistance so what's so wrong with them doing the same? oh yeah, it's becuase they don't speak your language, don't like your t.v. shows, and don't own the same ride-on lawn mowers as you do. that's exactly the stiffled world-view that kills meaningful diaalouge between two groups of people and i hope that if any kenyans are reading what he's saying you don't tkae it as a sample of what the west truely believe in.
Where have you been? America is in the decline because of all the bleeding heart politics. We need to fix our problems here so we can help everyone everywhere else later... "if they actually want our help". But unless you are only reading news about the African Continent, you'd probably know that our high standard of living and revered American way of life is soon coming to an end.
P.S. the word African shouldn't offend you. That's messed up.
the word african doesn't offend me but the way that you have no problem demeaning and putting down a whole race of poeople does. But no one's saying that america is collapsing except for you and even if it were it would have to fall over 100% in order to become more impoverished than the kenyian nation. they deserve our help especially qwhen tragedies likethis arise and if you won't do anything about it then i will by spreading a message of respectability, friendship, and undersstanding. If that's really not something which you're intersted in then i guess i can accept it, but honestly i'd rather believe that you've just been being diffficult and ignorant and can jump on-board when real solutions like mine are offered to real-world problems such as a nation of kenyians being subjected to mockerry and scorn when tthey deserve so much better.
Hey, nobody needs to move to Africa. We have it right here in the good 'ol USA. Yes sir, Obama has brought us the wonderful experience of what it is like to live in Kenya in our own country. Hell, the country is broke and he wants to spend trillions MORE, unemployment is about 15% (the real number, not the Gov't BS), 50 million people on foodstamps, Obama wants us all to pay $10 a gallon for gas until we wise up and buy rubberband powered golf carts, screw the private sector, government workers and unions get all they want, rich is bad/poor is wonderful, let all the illegal immigrants into the country that care to break the law, sue sovereign American states for trying to defend their borders, sell illegal weapons to foreign gangs, black thugs with clubs intimidating voters at the polls....hey, welcome to Kenya.
lancev, kenya has a rich literary hsitory and a tradition of strong family-ties, values, and a universal compassion for their neighbors so stop acting like they're a devolvd version of humanity that can't do anytthing right.
The US also had a "rich" history until Obama took over. Since you know Kenya is so wonderful, I will personally pay for a one-way ticket for you to return to your roots. I drink Kenya coffee. Other than that, I wouldn't give you 50 cents for ANYTHING from Kenya. Not even a semi-automatic machete.
As far as those "strong" family ties go, Obama won't even acknowledge or send a dollar or two to his half brother in good 'ol Kenya. I guess he wants him to sneak across the border at Tijuana.
Well that's good since those don't even exist anywhere nevermind in keny and I've already ben therre to do the rootts thing so you can keep your litle sympahty-money and maybe use it to go travel there yourself and see what life is really like there rather than sittting on your nice american-throne and passing judegement on a people taht you don't even know you cretin.
Why in the world would ANYONE travel to Kenya? Do I need intestinal worms or other parasites? Do I need to taste dog stew to know it isn't on my list of delicacies? Do I need a used-tire necklace to know its hot in there? Do I need some black thug to part my hair with a three-foot long knife? Hell, if I do, I'll go to Chicago, not Mumbasa.
You bet we sit on a throne here in the USA. It used to be great. That is until the chief Kenyan became president. Now, it feels like Nairobi everywhere you go.
thats right lance, you can go to Kenya without actually having to leave this country, wont cost you a dime either.
yeah lancev keep believing those lies that the Orange Democratic Movement puts out to advance their own agenda within the country but obviosuly none of that crap is true. Kenya as a whole has low rates of crime which is whyy this atrocity is such alarming international news and the people have adappted to their climate and handle it as well as they can just like the proud people in norhtern canadaa do with the extreme cold. get over it lance, kenya isn't as bad as you're makking it out to be and their people are strong and united and will get over this tragedy and emerge with more energy and natioonal- vigor than ever before.
I hope so. I wish them well. Just don't bring that sh!t here. One Obama is enough.
Kenya has a murder rate of 20.1 per 100k, the US 4.8 per 100k. (UNDOC figures, 2012)
Seems those machetes may be more effective than AR-15's.
no kenyans just don't have as much money to try at rich-lawyers who get them off of murder charges like americans do. Also I have a feeling that your figures have all kenyan-killings grouped as "murders" while the u.s. figures don't include things such as negligent homocide, manslaughter, murder 2's, etc. so that number should really be a lot higher and is really much more higher than the kenyan one which you cited.
We have Democratic Poll Workers in OH that vote for the Kenyan Usurper 6 times in our last Presidential Election. Granted, at least, the Democratic Poll Workers are not using machetes against their politicial opponents...at least not yet.
America after 8 years of the Kenyan.
From reading the majority of posts here, Looks like someone opened the cage door and let all the racist white dogs run free.
Does not say much about you, you have to be very naive to think that dogs can be racists. In the meantime, here are another stack full of Race Cards, since you seem to play them often.
By the way, what does machete wielding killers in Kenya have to do anything with race anyway? Other than you just enjoy playing the race card.