[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H10880-H10882]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CONCERNING THE SITUATION IN KENYA

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 130) concerning the situation in 
Kenya.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 130

       Whereas on July 7, a large and violent confrontation 
     occurred in Kenya when police stormed Nairobi's All-Saints 
     Cathedral and attacked those present at a prayer meeting;
       Whereas prodemocracy activists throughout Kenya have 
     demonstrated in favor of reform of Kenya's constitution and 
     the repeal of repressive colonial laws;
       Whereas the bloody suppression of the constitutional reform 
     rallies, the disruptive behavior of some demonstrators, and 
     the recent ethnic confrontations in Kenya's Coast Province 
     have jeopardized both the safety and the political rights of 
     average Kenyans;
       Whereas the Government of Kenya has continued to disrupt 
     opposition rallies and meetings even after pledging to take a 
     more tolerant approach to them in late July;
       Whereas these events led to the consideration in early 
     September of a package of democratic reforms by members of 
     parliament representing the government and the opposition, 
     but not including representatives of Kenyan civil society;
       Whereas it remains unclear whether long-discussed political 
     reforms can be effectively implemented in the time remaining 
     before anticipated elections in 1997; and
       Whereas colonial laws have given Kenyan President Daniel 
     Arap Moi sweeping powers to suppress political opponents and 
     thwart reform throughout his 19-year rule: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) recognizes and commends those Kenyans who have 
     demonstrated their love of peace, law, and order;
       (2) condemns those who are inciting others to violence, 
     looting, and destroying property;
       (3) urges an immediate cessation to the violence in Kenya;
       (4) urges the Government of Kenya to take all necessary and 
     lawful steps to avoid more violence in the future;
       (5) recognizes President Moi's response to domestic and 
     international pressure to allow meaningful constitutional and 
     legal electoral process reform through the current package of 
     legislation agreed to by the ruling party and opposition 
     party representatives;
       (6) calls for the prodemocracy movement to remain unified 
     in working toward implementing constitutional, statutory, and 
     administrative reforms;
       (7) urges rapid progress toward conducting free and fair 
     elections; and
       (8) urges the United States Government and the 
     international community to continue to work with all parties 
     to encourage the Government of Kenya to ensure a lasting and 
     committed transition to democracy, including an immediate 
     review of the propriety of the time of the next elections.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Royce] and the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California [Mr. Royce].

[[Page H10881]]

                             General Leave

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on House Concurrent Resolution 130, the matter now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, when the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Hastings] 
introduced this resolution last July, I felt it was timely and much 
needed, given the violence that prodemocracy demonstrators experienced 
at the hands of the Kenyan police. Since that time, after the 
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific held a hearing, the gentleman from 
Florida [Mr. Hastings] updated this resolution so that it is relevant 
for the situation existing today. This includes the recent announcement 
that elections will be held in Kenya on December 28.
  Despite the recent actions by the Kenyan Parliament to put in place 
legal reforms to the electoral process, there are serious doubts about 
the Government's willingness to honor its commitments. Last July, 
President Moi promised to allow opposition political party meetings 
without permits. Since then, even opposition events with permits have 
been disrupted. This reform is supposed to allow for political parties 
to be registered, but the Safina Party still has not been registered 
nearly 2 years after applying for approval.
  In short, the Kenyan Government has shown little commitment to follow 
through on its promises to implement democratic reforms. This is why 
this resolution is so important. The U.S. Government must be on record 
as strongly encouraging genuine reform. We also must firmly oppose the 
violence threatened in advance of the December elections.
  This resolution is balanced, and it will be noted in Kenya. The 
Kenyan Government takes notice of what the United States Government 
thinks about its actions. Kenya is too important to east Africa and too 
important to the continent for the United States to stand by without 
supporting true reform. If we do not stand firm in opposition to 
electoral violence and vote fraud, a bad election could produce chaos 
in what has been an island of stability in east Africa.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I offer this resolution today in response to the ongoing 
violence in Kenya that has just been talked about by our distinguished 
Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, the gentleman from California [Mr. 
Royce], and I want to thank the chairman of the Subcommittee on Asia 
and the Pacific [Mr. Bereuter], as well as other members, not only for 
their expeditious handling of this matter, but their conscientious and 
expeditious handling of matters as they have arisen on the African 
Continent.
  In the absence of a genuine commitment to democracy, we have seen 
violence be established in Kenya. This resolution calls on President 
Moi, the ruling party, opposition leaders, and protestors, to 
immediately cease all violence and pursue the constitutional and legal 
reforms necessary to bring Kenya from a colonial outpost to a 
multiparty democracy.
  On Monday, November 12, 1997, President Moi dissolved parliament 
after they passed three reform bills which would have paved the way for 
general elections, as spoken about a moment ago by the gentleman from 
California [Mr. Royce]. These reforms repeal laws restricting freedom 
of speech and assembly, give opposition parties greater representation 
on the electoral commission, and establish a multiparty commission to 
review the constitution after the elections.
  Quite frankly, I am outraged that President Moi unilaterally 
dissolved the parliament because it was clearly moving in a direction 
he had found threatening. This action is unacceptable and must not be 
ignored by the international community.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific for his continuing diligence, not 
only with reference to this particular matter but others that will be 
spoken about later today, as well as on a continuing basis.
  To sum up, my resolution lets the Kenyan people know that the United 
States is watching and expects progress from all quarters. Please join 
me in sending a message to all of the citizens of Kenya, especially 
those who have no voice in their governance, that their aspirations for 
democracy are attainable.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my distinguished colleague, the 
gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. Menendez].
  (Mr. MENENDEZ asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank first of all my colleague 
on the Subcommittee on Africa, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Hastings]. He has been an articulate and thoughtful member of the 
committee and has added much to our debates, and I want to commend him 
on bringing this resolution, as well as the chairman, for all of the 
work we have done this year in a very bipartisan way, and to his 
credit, we commend him for the manner in which he has run the 
committee.
  Mr. Speaker, Kenya is an important and strategic country in Africa, 
and it is unfortunate that our consideration of this resolution was 
prompted by the violence and political instability in Kenya. I am 
pleased to report that since the Subcommittee on Africa held hearings 
on the situation in Kenya in July, the situation has improved 
considerably. Just this past week President Moi made noted 
constitutional changes to allow more room for his political opposition, 
and just today the date for presidential and parliamentary elections 
was announced: December 29.
  It is crucial at this juncture that the international community 
insist on continued progress on constitutional and legal reforms, on 
improvements in human rights, and on free, fair, and democratic 
elections. We cannot allow this opening for reform to close without 
cementing substantive changes.
  President Moi needs to know that the United States and the 
international community will continue to watch his administration, even 
now that the violence has subsided, and that we will continue to press 
for real reforms which guarantee the Kenyan people access to and 
participation in their government.

                              {time}  1515

  That is what we are doing in this resolution. We are sending a 
message to President Moi, and on behalf of the Kenyan people, we hope 
that he is listening. I congratulate the gentleman from Florida [Mr. 
Hastings].
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to support this 
resolution, which makes an important statement on U.S. concern about 
possible violence in a country that has been and remains vital to 
American interests. It is particularly important for this House to make 
this statement now, since we are about to adjourn weeks before the 
Kenyan election will be held.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the leadership of the gentleman 
from California, Mr. Royce, the subcommittee chairman, for managing 
this resolution.
  I would like to thank Mr. Hastings for introducing this resolution 
and directing the House's attention to the situation in Kenya.
  As we all know, Kenya is expecting to have elections later this year 
or early next year, and there has already been a high-level of violence 
in Kenya in the run-up to the election.
  On a positive note, the Kenyan parliament recently adopted a number 
of important legal and constitutional reforms. This action was made 
possible by brave advocacy of human rights and democracy by activity 
Kenyans.
  These reforms offer the promise of a significant expansion of 
political activity in Kenya.
  It is important that the Congress continues to express solidarity 
with those in Kenya who advocate democratic reforms and respect for 
human rights and civil rights. This resolution is an appropriate method 
to do that. Accordingly I urge my colleagues to support it.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Snowbarger). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from

[[Page H10882]]

California [Mr. Royce] that the House suspend the rules and agree to 
the concurrent resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 130, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution, as 
amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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