11 January 2008
Internal memo raises questions about the institution's political neutrality in Kenya.
The Financial Times (FT) reported Wednesday that it obtained a leaked copy of an internal World Bank memo indicating that the Bank accepts the Electoral Commission of Kenya's (ECK) ruling that incumbent President Mwai Kibaki was the victor in the country's presidential elections held last month. The disputed elections have led to widespread unrest in the country and at least 500 reported deaths.
The memo, written by the Bank's Kenya Country Director Colin Bruce, cites confidential, oral briefings made by UN Development Program (UNDP) officials, who reportedly indicated that Kibaki was in all likelihood the legitimate winner. According to the FT, the UN has "denied that the UN had adopted that position," and adds that it has not "provided any assessment suggesting a Kibaki victory."
International election monitors have raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the election results.
“There were enough irregularities to call into question the veracity and credibility of the results and it was close enough that nobody can be certain as to who actually won,” Graham Elson, the deputy chief of the European Union observer mission, was quoted by the FT.
The FT suggests that Bruce's memo would be “likely to trigger accusations that the institution, which lends heavily to Kenya, has lost its political objectivity.”
Meanwhile, The Nation reports that talks between the two parties stalled today after the Kibaki government refused to sign an agreement facilitated by the World Bank's Colin Bruce. The government later denied having any knowledge of the document, which the opposition claims had been negotiated by both sides.
Apart from questions about whether the World Bank can be perceived as a neutral broker, the Bank's attempt to intervene in the dispute runs contrary to its policy against interfering in the internal politics of member countries.
Resources
- Leaked memo deepens Kenya crisis by William Wallis, Michael Holman and Krishna Guha, January 9, 2008 (FT website)
- Memorandum on Kenya elections (leaked World Bank memo), posted by Financial Times (FT website)
- World Bank denies Kibaki bias by William Wallis, Michael Holman and Krishna Guha, January 9, 2008 (FT website)
- World Bank boss under fire by Albert Nuriuki, Business Daily Africa, January 10, 2008 (BD website)
- Peace talks deadlock by Mugumo Munene and Bernard Namunane, The Nation, January 11, 2008
- Government disowns document to Kufuor by Farhia Ahmed and Claire Wanja, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, January 10, 2008 (KBC website)