The context is familiar: the incumbent who refuses to yield power election results notwithstanding squares up to the opposition leader convinced he has been denied his divine right to rule. The immovable rock meets the unstoppable force. Kibaki versus Odinga. The prize is the Presidency of Kenya, the right to lead the nation of 31 million for four years.

With leadership comes obligations and paramount amongst these obligations are ensuring the health and well-being of the Kenyan populace and on this score Kibaki and Odinga are failing the very people they are fighting to lead.

With over 300 people dead the situation in Kenya is a national emergency and with the growing ethnic dimension it has the makings of a disaster if left unchecked. There is an urgent need for both parties to strongly call for an end to the violence. With serious doubts about the outcome of the Presidential election, the greater onus lies on Kibaki to take steps to restore the confidence of the whole nation.

Kibaki needs to invite Odinga to discuss how to resolve the crisis and agree on the best way to arrive at a legitimate result. The USA, the EU and AU need to put immediate and sustained pressure on Kibaki to make this happen. Failure to reach a working comprise could see heading in the direction of its northern neighbour Somalia.

Odinga’s supporters have called for a mass rally tomorrow and how Kibaki’s reacts to this will be a major indicator of how the crisis will evolve.