VOA标准英语2008年-Kenya's Opposition to Hold Banned Protest Rally

By Nick Wadhams
Nairobi
02 January 2008

Kenya's opposition¹ leaders have vowed² to go ahead with a massive rally in downtown Nairobi to protest what they say was the fraudulent re-election of President Mwai Kibaki. The government has said the demonstration³, set for Thursday, will not be allowed to proceed, and the standoff threatens to spark a new wave of violence. Nick Wadhams has the story for VOA from Nairobi.

The ethnic⁴ fighting that has wracked Kenya in recent days appeared to ease slightly on Wednesday, although clashes continued in some of Nairobi's slums. In areas that were calm, Kenyans emerged from their homes to shop ahead of tomorrow's demonstration.

Mr. Kibaki appears to be at a deadlock⁵ with his opposition rival, Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).  On Wednesday, Mr. Odinga met with top aides and ODM lawmakers to plan strategy for the coming days.

After the meeting, ODM Secretary-General Anyang Nyong'o emerged with Mr. Odinga and told reporters that the opposition group's position has not changed: Mr. Kibaki must step down, and the rally would go ahead.

"The ODM reiterates⁶ our commitment to the nullification of the purported⁷ election of Kibaki as president, the restoration of peace by full recognition of the honorable Raila Amolo Odinga as the democratically elected president of the republic of Kenya and hence the return of democratic governance in our republic," he said.

Police officials now say at least 200 people have been killed in the violence that erupted after Odinga supporters began to protest what they said was evidence of vote rigging by Mr. Kibaki's team. The European Union's electoral mission here has said the polls did not meet international standards, and it has called for an investigation⁸.

Many of the dead have been protesters killed by police firing into crowds. On Tuesday, some 30 people were killed when an angry mob torched a church in western Kenya where people were seeking refuge from the violence.

In Nairobi, some people in the slums say it is time for peace, and that poor Kenyans must stop fighting each other. ODM Chairman Nyong'o said that can only be achieved if Mr. Odinga is named president.

"Peace cannot be realized in Kenya without justice," he added.  "The mass action is to let it be known that people want peaceful mass action to call for justice, which shall be a necessary condition for us to get on with our lives."

Some in the international community have suggested a government of national unity⁹ could offer a solution. Others argue that Mr. Odinga should take his claims to court.

Both Mr. Kibaki and Mr. Odinga have said they will not share power, and the courts are seen as largely corrupt¹⁰ and inefficient¹¹.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

3 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

6 reiterates   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The Chinese government reiterates that the question of Taiwan is China's internal affair. 中国政府重申，台湾问题是中国的内政。 来自汉英非文学 - 汉英文件
• Wang Jianzhou reiterates a fact and a viewpoint in Davos. 王建宙在达沃斯重申一个事实和一个观点。

7 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

9 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

10 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

11 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。