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I. General Overview
Six months after the contested General Election in Kenya led to widespread post election violence(PEV) and the eventual formation of a Grand Coalition Government, a Gallup Poll was conductedto obtain popular opinions on past grievances, satisfaction with the current leadership and the wayforward. Conducted between 19 June and 9 July across all provinces in Kenya, the Poll included asample of 2,200 people. The results suggest that there is widespread speculation that the GeneralElection was not conducted honestly: 70% of those polled questioned the veracity of the results.Measured against historical figures, confidence in the democratic system has declined from 63% in2006 to only 22% in 2008 while confidence in the judicial system declined form 55% in 2007 to only36% in 2008. Meanwhile, the conduct of the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) has beenunder intense scrutiny by the Commissions of Inquiry into the Post-Election Violence (CIPEV) andthe Poll reported that 68% of those questioned held the ECK directly responsible for the PEV.
UNITED NATIONS HUMANITARIAN UPDATE vol. 354 September – 10 September 2008Office of the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Kenya
 
HIGHLIGHTS
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A crisis situation is emerging in the Mandera districts due to consecutive failed rains;forecasts suggest that the situation may continue to deteriorate after the short rains.
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The Kenyan Red Cross reported that there are 13,164 IDPs in 10 main IDP camps; theKRCS, WFP and an interagency assessment noted that there were at least 99,198 IDPs in160 transit sites; the Government reported that 234,098
 
IDPs had returned to pre-displacement areas by 28 August.
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UNICEF highlighted that over 95,000 children under the age of five and pregnant andbreastfeeding women are malnourished. Of that number, 10,000 are severelymalnourished.
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A diarrhoea outbreak in Bungoma East, Bungoma West and Mount Elgon districts killssix while at least 171 seek treatment according to the Kenya Red Cross. 
The information contained in this report has been compiled by OCHA from information received from thefield, from national and international humanitarian partners and from other official sources. It does not represent a position from the United Nations. This report is posted on: http://ochaonline.un.org/kenya
 
The most pressing issues for theGovernment to address moving forward.
Gallup Poll, 8 September 
 
 
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The CIPEV is currently compiling its report after hearing public testimony and there have beenwidespread calls for the final report to be made public so as to ensure that those behind theviolence are held accountable. The heated debate and close divisions in society over whether perpetrators of PEV should be given amnesty was reconfirmed during the Poll: 48% said that thosewho have been arrested should be prosecuted and sentenced if found guilty; 23% said they shouldbe prosecuted but given amnesty if found guilty and 28% said they should be released without atrial. However, there were positive signs that reconciliation could transcend the amnesty debate asan overwhelming majority (82%) agreed that they could coexist peacefully in their city or community with all Kenyans, regardless of their ethnicity or tribal affiliation.As Kenyan households feel the pressure of increased inflation with rising commodity prices, theissues of economic security and development were highlighted in the Poll as key areas for theGovernment to address and only 7% of those polled felt that the return of IDPs was the mostpressing issue. Meanwhile, in an effort to bolster public confidence in the economy, Kenya’sCentral Bank announced that inflation was expected to fall below 20% by January 2009. Inflationrates in August were at 27.6%, up form 18.2% in January.
II. Humanitarian SituationCrisis Situation in Mandera West District
The situation in the Mandera districts isworsening and humanitarian partners, includingAction Against Hunger, Save the Children UKand Islamic Relief, report that a crisis situation isemerging. Water resources have been depletedafter consecutive failed rains in 2007 and 2008and the Kenya Meteorological Departmentforecasts that the forthcoming short rains will beonly near normal to below normal throughoutmost of the northeast, including Mandera.Meanwhile, many wells and water pans havedried up and some communities have relied ontrucked water for the past two months.Furthermore, an influx of pastoralists fromneighbouring countries is increasing the pressureon scarce resources.Approximately 80% of the population in theregion are pastoralists whose copingmechanisms have been eroded due to thesuccessive failed rains. Deteriorated quantityand quality of pasture areas has forced earlymigrations and herds to trek longdistances, which has negativelyimpacted body conditions and milkproduction. Livestock diseases are alsoravaging weakened herds, includingpeste des petits ruminants (PPR), whichhas killed some three million smallruminants since 2006.With a deteriorating livelihoods and foodsecurity situation in the region,malnutrition is also increasing: globalacute malnutrition rates have increasedin all divisions since 2007 (as of March2008) and are almost twice the
October – November -December 2008 Rainfall ForecastSource: Kena Meteoroloical Deartment
Action Against Hunger, March 2008
 
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emergency level in some areas. Food prices have also increased between 60-120% in someareas while reduced access to water has led to poor hygiene and sanitation, which is increasingthe spread of diseases.The deteriorating situation is also exacerbating resource-based conflicts and UN Department of Safety and Security reported that flashpoints are arising, particularly related to boreholes.Tensions are also high in the region related to the movement of militia over the border withSomalia.To address the critical situation in Mandera, urgent interventions are required, including increasedfunds for water trucking to the district; increased funding for ready-made supplementary feedinginputs (wet feeding); and increased funding for the general food distribution to cover all those inneed.
Food Security
Noting that approximately 1.34 million areaffected by food insecurity in Kenya, UNICEFhighlighted that over 95,000 children under theage of five and pregnant and breastfeedingwomen are malnourished. Of that number,10,000 are severely malnourished.According to the LRA, substantial areas of thenorthern, eastern pastoral and coastal clusterswere highly food insecure (see areas highlightedin orange in the map). The Kenya FoodSecurity Update highlighted that insufficient anderratic rainfall during the long rains has had aparticularly negative impact on pastoralists’livelihoods due to declined water availability anddeteriorated pasture and livestockconditions. This has resulted in acceleratedearly migrations; loss in livestock bodyconditions, linked in part to increased andextensive trekking distances; increasedsusceptibility to livestock diseases(including PPR); and heightened conflictdue to competition for scarce resources,resulting in loss of life and the rendering of pasture areas and markets inaccessible.Furthermore, the Update highlighted thatthe terms of trade for livestock havereduced, coupled with an increase in cerealand food prices (70-120% higher than thefive-year average). Underscoring the urgency of the situation of the highly food insecure, UNICEFnoted that in the drought-affected areas of northern and eastern Kenya, negative copingmechanisms are emerging, which could affect individuals’ long-term development, such as schooldrop-outs.According to the Update, the northern and eastern pastoral clusters, and significant areas of theagro-pastoral and marginal agricultural clusters had moderate deterioration in food security (seeareas in yellow in the map above); approximately 500,000 persons are affected by moderate foodinsecurity in these areas. Many of the conditions affecting the pastoral cluster areas have alsoimpacted food security in this group, while there was also an estimated 80% to near total cropfailure in some agricultural areas. Furthermore, purchasing power was reduced due to a 60%increase in the price of food and non-food commodities since January. Due to the precarious food
Declining Livestock Prices in the agro-pastoralareas of Baringo district
Kenya Food Security Update, (FEWSNET, USAID, WFP,Ministry of Agriculture and ALRMP)
 
August 2008.
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