According to the Minorities at Risk Project the Luo comprise approximately 13 percent of Kenya's population (Oct. 1999). According to the same report:

The Luo inhabit the southwestern Nyanza Province. While Oginga Odinga, a Luo and leader of KANU [Kenyan African National Union] at independence, held the office of Vice President, the Luo were politically advantaged. But the Luo lost their political advantage when Odinga defected from KANU and formed the Kenya People's Union (KPU) in 1966. He has continued to be a leading opposition figure and the Luo were targeted for violence between 1991-94.

Specific information concerning the treatment of Luo who are public employees could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to the European Platform for Conflict Prevention and Transformation, access to public service positions is an area of contention for Luo people:

Despite the fact that their kinsmen have been murdered in the countryside, the interests of the Kikuyu and Luo members of the upper and middle classes are best served by pushing for political reform that would increase their access to the state on policy matters, not by escalating ethnic violence. Political reform would increase access for Kikuyu and Luo members of the middle class to state funds, civil service positions, etc., while violence would only bring destruction. Most Kikuyu and Luo see the problem as one of bad government and corruption, rather than evil intent (n.d.).

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 find below the list of additional sources consulted in research this Response.

European Platform for Conflict Prevention and Transformation. n.d. Jos van Beurden. "Kenya: Small Scale Conflicts Could Have Major Repercussions." http://www.oneworld.org/euconflict/sfp/part2/146_.htm [Accessed 23 June 2000]

Minorities at Risk Project. October 1999. Shin-wha Lee, Anne Pitsch and Alexander Danso. "Kikuyu, Kisii, Luhya, and Luo in Kenya." http://www.bsos.umd.edu/cidcm/mar/kenkik.htm [Accessed 23 June 2000]

IRB Databases.

World Directory of Minorities.

World News Connection (WNC)

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