Russ Feingold: “just over 1 month ago, in the days before the December 27 president election, I noted that it had become the closest…”

“just over 1 month ago, in the days before the December 27 president election, I noted that it had become the closest political contest in that country's history and that the two leading candidates were running robust, active campaigns. Although I also acknowledged the persistence of a deeply entrenched culture of corruption, I was encouraged by the growing engagement of Kenyan citizens and civil society organizations during the relatively peaceful, well-run, and competitive campaign season. I joined many others in hoping that the presidential and parliamentary elections held on that day would confirm Kenya's place among the world's most promising emerging economies and young democracies. Instead, that hope turned to dismay as we watched a blatant disregard for democratic principles and processes by the ruling party and an extraordinary disrespect for rule of law and human rights by both leading candidates' parties. The serious allegations of vote rigging, the rushed declaration of a presidential winner, and the destructive violence that have ensued are not only hurting the Kenyan people--they are jeopardizing Kenya's previous democratic progress. With Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Uganda as neighbors in the volatile Horn of Africa, Kenya has long been regarded as a stable country making slow but persistent progress towards democracy.”