Stabilize Kenya

Rioting and bloodshed in Kenya have reached levels that can no longer be ignored.

A rigged election several weeks ago delivered a narrow victory to President Mwai Kibaki. Since then, nearly 700 people have been killed and 250,000 displaced. Police assaults against rioting opposition-group supporters and pogroms fueled by tribal resentment contributed to the body count.

Scenes of government workers in Nairobi escaping a burning building and former U.N. Secretary Kofi Annan called in to mediate make for a compelling, albeit depressing, picture.

This isn't Rwanda. Countries from Ukraine to South Korea have struggled to implement democratic elections. But Kenya's historic role as a beacon of calm and stability in East Africa makes for a special case.

This is a chance to intervene before things turn bad. President Kibaki is a member of Kenya's powerful and influential Kikuyu tribe. The tribe represents a fifth of Kenya's population yet it dominates its politics and economics and is sorely resented for it. No wonder the wave of violence in recent weeks has included attacks on Kikuyu neighborhoods.

Kenya isn't a failed state and it cannot become one. Kenya has enjoyed an economy with an average 5 percent annual growth. Its credit rating is a solid B+ and the Kenyan shilling is comparatively strong.

But election fraud can undo years of hard work. Pressure should be brought to bear on Kibaki to hold clean, transparent elections. Joint rule with the opposition party isn't out of the question, since the president's coalition party suffered heavy losses in parliament, emerging with only 37 of 210 seats.

Bargaining chips to use against Kenya include its tourism industry, which had been thriving because of the nation's reputation as safe and untroubled. Loans and aid packages granted by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank could be delayed, just as they were in 2006 in response to corruption.

Kenya's stability is in our best interest. It is a valued ally in the fight against terrorism and a key player in neighboring conflicts, most recently in Sudan with the crisis in Darfur.

Peace in Kenya eases challenges faced by nongovernmental organizations and aid groups, some right here in Seattle, which spend tens of millions to improve health care, education and food production in African nations. The last thing anyone needs is an unstable Kenya.