The making of unnecessary enemies

At first this:

Western diplomats dispute Kenyan election results (PANA)

Nairobi, Kenya, 30 December 2007: Western diplomats have rejected the results announced by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) on Sunday declaring President Mwai Kibaki winner for a second and final five-year term.

Kibaki moved with speed to occupy the top office in less than an hour after the results were announced on national television, after journalists were kicked out of the ECK media centre together with the foreign observers.

The main opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) said they would form a parallel government unless the ECK ordered a recount of the votes.
ODM Raila Odinga said it was fruitless to challenge the results in court.
Trouble started when the opposition ODM questioned results from areas in the vast Rift Valley, Central Kenya and the Eastern part of the country.

The western diplomats in Nairobi dismissed the poll outcome, saying it was not free and fair.

The European Union Observer Mission in Nairobi later issued a statement saying their records showed the results announced by the ECK, and also contested by the opposition, were fraudulent.

Anna Owen, EU observer mission press officer, said the results as shown by the ECK in some of the areas, which gave President Mwai Kibaki a massive 75,000 were confirmed at the polling zone as 55,000.

"There is doubt as to the credibility of this process," the EU mission said.

German Ambassador Walter Lindner said the reports from the ECK may not be credible.

"I think this is very bad for Kenya and I support the statement issued by the European Union (EU) that said the results were not free and fair," he said.

US ambassador Michael Ranneberger said the outcome of the results had massive irregularities.
Canadian High Commissioner Ross Hynes said the reporting of the results had raised serious credibility issues about the integrity process.

"It started well on election day but the development today, I guess, is not good for Kenya," Lindner added.

There were no immediate celebrations yet after Kibaki was declared winner.

…and then that:


U.S. congratulates Kenyan president on re-election

The United States congratulated on Sunday Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on his re-election, and called on all parties of the country to accept the results despite opposition allegations of ballot fraud.

"We obviously congratulate the president on his election," State Department spokesman Rob McInturff told local media.


Happy New Year

Rare anniversary. Today President Omar Bongo is 40 years in power. Forty years. There was a big parade of the three services, police, fire brigade and so on. 100 different uniforms minimum in the streets - and a nice new monument for the people.
Some imressions: