美国国家公共电台 NPR Amid Opposition Boycott, Kenyans Vote In Re-Run Of Presidential Election

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Going to turn now to Kenya, where it is election day, and already, we are seeing a lot of violence. At least two people are dead, and dozens have been injured. Four counties have now delayed voting until Saturday. Now, there were results of a presidential election back in August that were contested. This is a now redo, but the opposition¹ candidate, Raila Odinga, has urged Kenyans to stay away. There are protests that have erupted around the country, including - as you might actually hear - some gunfire. We're going now to one polling place in Nairobi. NPR's Eyder Peralta is there, and he has been following this tense situation. Eyder, tell us what you're seeing.

EYDER PERALTA, BYLINE²: Hey, David. Yeah, I'm in Kibera, which is an opposition stronghold here in Nairobi. And right now I'm seeing a standoff between police and protesters. You can probably hear some gunfire in the background. And there's lots of tear gas. And basically, protesters are trying to get into this polling station, and police are trying to stop them from getting in.

GREENE: Well, can you just remind us - I mean, Odinga lost the first election officially. He's the one who contested the results. He's now saying this new election is a charade³. So is this is his answer - this violence?

PERALTA: Yesterday, he announced that his party was becoming a resistance movement. He actually told people to stay home. But obviously, that's not what's happening. I think, you know, what Raila Odinga has tapped into is a feeling of oppression in this country. And that's what you hear from the protesters that they think that this government has stolen elections before and that they're going to do it again.

GREENE: Can you just tell us more of what you're seeing. I mean, these are his protesters who are standing⁴ in a standoff with police. I mean, is anyone actually being able to get in there and vote?

PERALTA: Not here. I mean, you know, there are - there is voting going on in a lot of parts of Kenya. But in big opposition strongholds, no one is voting. In this polling station, you know, I talked to one woman who tried to get here, but she couldn't. There's people - you know, the ballot⁵ material is being brought in by police - under police escort. And people - the poll workers are covering their faces because they're afraid that when this is over, people will take revenge.

GREENE: This is a country that has seen bitter politics and violence. This election is bitterly dividing the country. I mean, how does this end?

PERALTA: I don't think anyone knows the answer to that question. You know, there's a lot - a lot of this is about tribe. And also, you know, one of the saddest things that happened during this election season is that two pillars of democracy - two big institutions have lost a huge amount of credibility in this country. And I don't think anyone knows how that - those institutions are rebuilt.

GREENE: And what are you seeing now? How are police handling this? I mean, are we going to see arrests of the opposition or what's going to happen?

PERALTA: There has already been arrests across the country from people who have been charged with incitement⁶. But, you know, what I'm seeing here - what I'm seeing here is basically a battle between police and protesters. Protesters, you know, try and make it into the polling place. And police fire at them - tear gas and then gunfire. We don't know if it's live rounds or blanks. But it's just - you know, it's ongoing⁷.

GREENE: Eyder be safe. And we appreciate you taking the time but please be safe.

PERALTA: Thank you, David.

GREENE: That's NPR's Eyder Peralta on election day in Nairobi, Kenya.

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 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 charade   

n.用动作等表演文字意义的字谜游戏

参考例句：

• You must not refine too much upon this charade.你切不可过分推敲这个字谜。
• His poems,despite their dignity and felicity,have an air of charade.他的诗篇虽然庄严巧妙，却有猜迷之嫌。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

6 incitement   

激励； 刺激； 煽动； 激励物

参考例句：

• incitement to racial hatred 种族仇恨的挑起
• Interest is an incitement to study. 兴趣刺激学习。

7 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。