Kenya readies for S. Sudan poll outcome

Sudanese women walk on January 5, 2010 beside a billboard showing the days left before southern Sudan's independence referendum in the southern capital Juba. Almost four million southern Sudanese are registered to participate in the January 9 to 15 referendum that will give them a chance to vote on whether to secede or to remain united with the north. AFP PHOTO / YASUYOSHI CHIBA

Kenya hopes that the referendum in Southern Sudan will end peacefully, but has announced plans to deal with an influx of refugees should it turn violent.

Acting Foreign Affairs minister George Saitoti said there were indications that the voting, which gets under way on Sunday and continues for seven days, will be peaceful.

But Kenya was preparing for any eventuality and contingency plans had been made to receive up to 20,000 refugees at once if it comes to that.

The Kenyan Government and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Wednesday arrangements were in place to host refugees in case violence breaks out in Southern Sudan after Sunday’s referendum.

The plans include intensifying security along the two countries’ common border and the registration and documentation of refugees likely to flock to the country.

“Proper mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that the government is not caught off-guard in case differences emerge in South Sudan after the referendum that might result in an influx of refugees into the country,” said Turkana West district commissioner Patrick Muriira.

“We are consulting with members of the local community to provide extra land to accommodate more refugees in case there is an influx after the referendum,” disclosed Mr Muriira.

The administrator said that according to a study carried out by the government and UNHCR, about 20,000 refugees from Southern Sudan were likely to enter Kenya between January and February this year.

A further 80,000 would troop into Kenya by the end of the year if the upheaval was to continue, bringing the number to 100,000, he added.

In Nairobi, Prof Saitoti, who is also the Internal Security minister, was quick to point out that all indications were that the referendum would be peaceful.

“In the unlikely event there are difficulties there, people have to come to Kenya, and arrangements are in place,” said the minister.

“There is both humanitarian and logistical support,” Prof Saitoti, who was reluctant to elaborate on the arrangements, said.

He urged the leaders of both the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement from the south and the National Congress Party of the north to preach messages of peace and restraint in the run-up to the referendum.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga also called on the people of Southern Sudan to deliver a decisive vote that would leave no room for doubts and disputes.

He sent Lands minister James Orengo to deliver his message to President Salva Kiir Mayardit of Southern Sudan in Juba.

Prof Saitoti said the government was encouraged by recent statements by both President Omar al-Bashir and First Vice-President Salva Kiir, which are likely to contribute to a peaceful vote.

Kenya also wants the people and leaders of Sudan to look beyond the referendum and at weighty issues that are yet to be considered, and which have to be dealt with before July 2011.

These include the unresolved Abyei referendum, the demarcation of the border between the south and the north, consultations in Southern Kordofan and the Blue Nile states as well as consensus on post-referendum agreements.