Humanitarian Aid Need Might Grow In Kenya, the UN Warns

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225,000 people had been forced out of their homes as a result of the post-election violence that had claimed the lives of over 600 people. These people are going through the growing risk of malnutrition according to the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The opposition party known as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) says it will continue its nationwide campaign of mass protests planned for next week. However, the Kenyan police said it will not allow the three days of protests to go ahead.

Ethnic and political unrest had sparked by the announcement of Mwai Kibaki’s reelection as Kenya’s president on December 27.

ODM candidate and leader Raila Odinga has accused Kibaki of rigging the elections and stating his government is not interested in dialogue or mediation. Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary General has appealed to all sides for restraint. He is leading a panel of African mediators to resolve the crisis.

On Thursday, the talks that were conducted by Ghanian President and African Union chairman John Kufuor had broken down.

“OCHA estimates that nearly half a million people will need assistance in the coming weeks and months,” according to UN OCHA spokeswoman, Elisabeth Byrs.

UNICEF expressed concerns about malnutrition that affects one in three children under five before the crisis took place.