Nairobi - Kenya returns to the polls on Wednesday under intense domestic and international scrutiny for five by-elections, in a key test for a fragile government coalition less than six months after deadly post-election violence almost tore the nation apart.
Observers fear some of the grievances that sparked the unrest could resurface, as the by-election campaigns revealed early signs of strain in the uneasy marriage between President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity (PNU) and Prime Minister Raila Odinga's Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).
The campaigns wrapped up on Monday for the seats of two lawmakers who were shot dead earlier this year and another, Kenneth Marende, who relinquished his seat when he was elected parliament speaker.
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The two other ballots will be held in constituencies where the chaos that followed the December 27 general polls prevented the results from being announced, raising fears that fresh disputes could erupt there next week.
Observers deplored that despite the more than 1 500 deaths and hundreds of thousands of displacements that marred the latest polls, politicians once again resorted to ethnic rhetoric during the by-election campaigns.
"This is an indication that although there is a coalition government, Kenyan politics will always be guided by tribes," political analyst Evans Manduku told AFP.
He argued the by-elections campaign had provided further evidence that the coalition, born of the internationally-brokered February 28 power-sharing deal that ended the unrest, would remain an uneasy alliance between political foes.
The main potential flashpoint on Wednesday is expected to be the Kilgoris constituency, where issues of land that have yet to be addressed by the unity cabinet have sparked recurring clashes between rival tribes.
In a sign of worsening marriage, ODM accused some PNU ministers "of contravening electoral laws by openly bribing voters, intimidating ODM supporters and misusing state resources just as they did in last December's elections and during the constitutional referendum in 2005."
Warning that the Wednesday vote "provide a major test for our democratic institutions," ODM top official and cabinet minister William Ole Ntimama warned: "We have watched with dismay as our coalition partners sink to new lows without any regard for the consequences which may flow."
Police have planned a heavy deployment to contain any tension. "We shall be there in full force to ensure that the voting is peaceful," police spokesperson Charles Owino told AFP.
Speaking at a campaign rally in northern Kenya during the weekend, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka sought to reassure the nation that the tension surrounding the by-elections was not a sign of a dysfunctional government.
"Although it may appear as if we are divided as we campaign for our respective party candidates, I wish to assure Kenyans that this has not interfered in any way with the smooth operations of the coalition, which actually remains united and focused on addressing our people's needs," he said.
Yet ministers from rival parties very publicly disagreed in recent days about the issue of amnesty for dozens of Kenyans detained in connection with the violence that swept the country in the aftermath of the December polls.
Some have demanded blanket forgiveness for those who simply protested results widely criticised as rigged while other officials insisted that justice should follow its course.
The chaos in Kenya rattled a nation generally seen as a haven of stability in a troubled region and the international community dispatched former UN chief Kofi Annan to mediate a solution to the crisis.
Western partners have warned ahead of the by-elections that they would keep close watch of the vote and urged all sides to exercise the utmost restraint and comply with international standards.
"We would like to take this opportunity to urge political leaders to publicly denounce all forms of violence, ethnic incitement and electoral malpractice," several Nairobi-based ambassadors said last week.
In a joint statement, the signatories said they accepted to take part in the by-elections as observers, but stressed that their participation "should in no way be seen as an endorsement of the (electoral) commission."
Kenya's electoral board was largely seen as being implicated in the alleged widespread fraud that took place during the vote counting process in December. - Sapa-AFP
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