Kenyan press calls for swift results

The vote for Narc [National Rainbow Coalition] and [Mwai] Kibaki is an endorsement of the kind of promises the coalition gave to the people. Given that all leaders of the coalition have been returned to parliament with overwhelming mandates sends a message of its own. The people have spoken. Now, Kibaki & Co must deliver.

The new government must end its honeymoon pretty fast and tackle the real issues facing this country. Mr Kibaki must discard self-seekers who will soon surround him, pretending to be true friends of this country.

People's Daily, Kenya

[Editorial - Time for Narc to begin delivering on promises] From 1963 to 1992, KANU single-handedly ran the show. There is hardly anything positive to write about this period. Kenyans only witnessed plunder of public resources."

Kanu's election debacle is likely to create a major crisis within the party, where the rank and file will be demanding to crucify somebody, anybody. Chairman and former President Daniel arap Moi will be a very tempting choice for a sacrificial lamb. It is he, after all, who hand-picked the novice Mr Kenyatta as his successor and whipped his party into supporting him. The decision split the party down the middle, and lost it the election.

One of the most important lessons Kenyans have learned since the re-introduction of multi-party politics in 1992 is that democracy is not a 100-metre race. Rather it is a long-distance race with sharp bends and hills. It has taken the opposition three elections and learning the art of compromise and alliance-building to gain power. They must now consolidate that democracy.

There should be no doubt in the mind of anybody that the emphatic victory of the opposition National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) led by Mwai Kibaki, plus his own triumph over ruling party candidate Uhuru Kenyatta, are a clear indication that the majority of Kenyans wanted change... We are confident that he will use his wisdom to translate his massive support and mandate into a befitting service to his people and country.

The Kenyan election has shown that African plebiscites are about issues... Contrary to the excitement that an opposition [leader] has won, the more significant fact is that this is not like the opposition you would find in other African countries where some Western governments in Europe and America have put together inexperienced anti-nationalist and probably ill-educated puppets and paraded them as the opposition.

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