An article in Africa Confidential of 19 January 1998 mentions the Kenyan Somali community in the context of the ethnic dimension of the recent election in Kenya:

The voting pattern was, as usual, largely ethnic. Moi topped the poll among his own Kalenjin group of tribes and their political allies such as the Pokot, Turkans, Teso, Samburu, Maasai, Somalis, Borans and the Mijikenda of the Coast. He did unusually well among Luhya communities, including the Samia and Maragoli of Western Province and the Kisii of Nyanza. These small and relatively poor groups fear the prospect of a government led by the largest group, the Kikuyu, and Moi is their best guarantee against that (4).

In October 1998 a massacre took place of ethnic Somali Kenyans of the Degodia clan (Africa Research Bulletin Nov. 1998, 13316; AFP 2 Nov. 1998). Local authorities said that 189 people had been killed in the Moyale District in Eastern Province (ibid.). In addition to the killings, several thousand animals were stolen from the victims by raiders who many claimed were members of the Ethiopia-based Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) (ibid.). Degodia representatives in Kenya, among them former member of parliament and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Ahmed Khalif, blamed the Kenyan government and the head of the Kenyan army, Lt. Gen. Abdullahi S. Adan, for neglecting security in the area (ibid.). The OLF denied responsibility for the killings (AFP 2 Nov. 1998).

In June 1999 it was reported that the Kenyan government intended to allow about 4,000 Kenyan Somalis who had been refugees in Ethiopia for several years to return to Kenya beginning in July (Xinhua 12 June 1999). The agreement was made in the context of security talks between Kenyan and Ethiopian officials (ibid.). Information on whether Kenyan Somali refugees returned to Kenya from Ethiopia in July 1999 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate; however, on 7 November 1999 a Kenyan human rights group, Northern Forum for Human Rights and Democracy, issued a statement demanding that the government within 14 days allow the return of 4,700 Kenyan Somalis who had been refugees in Ethiopia for 7 years (The Nation 8 Nov. 1999). The organization claimed that there had been many instances of oppression of Kenyan Somalis that had been "either orchestrated or abetted by the government," including killings in 1979, 1984, 1989, 1992, 1997, 1998 and 1999 (ibid.). The organization added that the government had also introduced a discriminatory identity-card requirement on Kenyan Somalis. Local members of the Kenyan parliament supported the call for the return of the refugees. Information on the Kenyan government's policy regarding identity cards for Kenyan Somalis can be found in Country Reports 1998.

Media reports indicate that some Kenyan Somalis have attained high positions in the Kenyan state.

On 9 January 1998 it was reported that Kenya's new Foreign Minister, Bonaya Godana, was a Kenyan Somali from the north-east of the country (Xinhua 9 Jan. 1998). Godana had previously been the Deputy Speaker of Kenya's parliament and an assistant minister (ibid.).

On 10 September 1998 a minister in the Kenyan government who is Kenyan Somali, Hussein Maalim Mohamed, criticized the government for having deregistered five Muslim non-governmental organizations (AFP 10 Sept. 1998). Hussein Maalim Mohamed's brother, Mahmoud Mohamed, had until recently been the head of the Kenyan armed forces (ibid.).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 2 November 1998. "Ethiopian Rebel Group Denies Involvement in Attack in Kenya." (NEXIS)

_____. 10 September 1998. "Kenyan Muslims Demand Reinstatement of Islamic NGO's." (FBIS-AFR-98-253 10 Sept. 1998/WNC)

Africa Confidential [London]. 19 January 1998. Vol. 39, No. 1. "Kenya: Close Shave."

Africa Research Bulletin [Oxford]. November 1998. Vol. 35, No. 11. "Kenya-Ethiopia, Somalia: Border Massacre."

The Nation [Nairobi]. 8 November 1999. David Macharia. "Refugees: Government Gets Ultimatum." http://www.africanews/ [Accessed 23 Nov. 1999]

Xinhua. 12 June 1999. "Kenyan Refugees in Ethiopia to Return Home." (NEXIS)

_____. 9 January 1998. "Kenyan Government to Continue Regional Peace Policies." (NEXIS)

Ethnic clashes between Kikuyu and the Kalenjin in the Rift Valley province were reported in 1998 (Human Rights Watch 8 Apr. 1998; IPS 9 Apr. 1998). In April 1998 a human rights coalition composed of officials from Amnesty International, Article 19, and Human Rights Watch observed that government "systematically failed to investigate and punish armed aggressors, and to protect frightened, angry and displaced people" and "expressed fears that the supporters of the ruling party are instigating political violence, but blaming the incidents on spontaneous outbursts of ethnic hatred" (ibid.).

According to New African, "the massacres of the Kikuyus by Kalenjin warriors in Lakipia and Nakuru districts of the Rift Valley in January and February claimed more than 100 lives" (Apr. 1998). In an effort to curb the violence, which first broke out in February 1998, President Moi reportedly declared a dusk to dawn curfew on Nakuru, the main town in the Rift Valley (IPS 9 Apr. 1998; New African Apr. 1998), and accused the "business and local authorities of a particular community" living in Nakuru of fomenting the violence (IPS 9 Apr. 1998). However, a member of the delegation from Human Rights Watch found both sides "polarized and talking of fighting" (ibid.). This information is corroborated by an April 1998 New African report which states that "Kikuyu leaders have threatened to arm their people to defend themselves against future raids, killings, rape, looting, and the widespread destruction of property." However, 42 Kenya National Union (KANU), the ruling party, members of parliament from the Rift Valley "alleged the violence was a wider nefarious scheme being hatched by the DP to bring down the government of President Moi. They accuse the Kikuyu of killing their own kin and then blaming the Kalenjin warriors" (ibid.).

Similar clashes were reported in the Rift Valley between 1992 and 1994 (IPS 9 Apr. 1998). The clashes are reportedly politically motivated and aim to force the Kikuyu, the main supporters of the opposition Democratic Party (DP), from Njoro and Laikipia, in the Rift Valley. The majority of the people in these locations are reportedly Kalenjin, who form President Moi's main support base (ibid.).

In July 1998 President Moi reportedly appointed a commission of inquiry into "repeated ethnic clashes" including those in the Rift Valley and the Coastal region (ARB July 1998). The commission is still hearing evidence (The Nation 23 Mar. 1999).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 7 July 1998. Vol. 35. No. 7. "Kenya: Tribal Violence Inquiry."

Human Rights Watch [New York]. 8 April 1998. "Kenya: Urgent Need for Action on Human Rights." (NEXIS)

Inter Press Service (IPS) [Nairobi]. 9 April 1998. Moyiga Nduru. "Human Rights-Kenya: Heavy Cloud of Violence Looms, Coalition Says." (NEXIS)

The Nation [Nairobi]. 23 March 1999. Michal Nuguna and Mark Agutu. "Kenya: Ethnic Violence Claimed 36 Lives in Two Years -Inquiry Told." (Africa News/NEXIS)

New African [London]. "Kenya: Ethnic Showdown Looms."

Africa Confidential [London]. January 1998 - December 1999. Vols. 37-38. Nos. 1-25.

Africa Research Bulletin: Political, Social and Cultural Series [Oxford]. 1998. Vol. 35. Nos. 1-12.

Amnesty International. 1998. Amnesty International Report 1998. New York: Amnesty International USA.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1998 1999 United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Press.

Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. January 1998-January 1999. Monthly. Vols. 44-45.

Electronic sources: IRB databases, Internet, LEXIS/NEXIS, World Network Connection (WNC)

Information on the Kenya Union of Blind Women could not be found obtained from Kenyan sources within the time constraints of this information request.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Electronic sources: Internet, NEXIS

Helen Keller International, New York, NY.

Kenya Union for the Blind, Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya Society for the Blind, Nairobi, Kenya.

Sight Savers International, Nairobi, Kenya.