VOA常速英语2007年-Kenya Parliament Nominations Spark Violent Prot

By Derek Kilner
Nairobi
21 November 2007

Kenya's Electoral Commission is hearing complaints from candidates who failed to secure their parties' nominations² for parliamentary elections, scheduled for December 27. As Derek Kilner reports from Nairobi, the nominations have sparked a number of violent protests.

Dissatisfaction with the nomination¹ process, which ended Tuesday, has led to a number of violent protests throughout Kenya in the past few days. Multiple candidates were admitted to hospitals, including assistant minister for planning, John Serut.

The government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has been monitoring the electoral process. The commission's head of advocacy, Njonjo Mue, tells VOA about the complaints his organization has received.

"We have got reports of people who say that the candidates who won at the ballot³ did not get the nomination certificate," said Mue. "There are some cases of blatant⁴ disregard for the people's will. There was not a meaningful mechanism⁵ for appeal, and we found that people started expressing their frustration⁶ by taking to the streets, demonstrating, and in some cases engaging in violent activity."

While disapproving⁷ of the violence, Mue says that many of the protests are motivated by legitimate⁸ grievances⁹ with the actions of the major parties.

"I think the silver lining¹⁰ to that cloud, we see people expressing their dissatisfaction with the way the nominations were held and specifically with political parties who attempted to cheat people of their rightful representation," said Mue.

"So although it is unfortunate that people are expressing this frustration in some cases quite violently, it is positive that people are refusing to acquiesce¹¹ to party bigwigs imposing¹² candidates upon them," he added.

Much of the violence has occurred in parts of the country that are dominated by a single party and where the party's nomination is seen as a virtual ticket to parliament.

President Mwai Kibaki's Party of National Unity¹³ is expected to win resoundingly in Central Province, while Nyanza Province in Western Kenya is a stronghold of the opposition¹⁴ Orange Democratic movement led by Raila Odinga.

Several high-profile candidates failed to win their parties' nominations, including Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai. Many losing aspirants¹⁵ quickly secured the nominations of smaller parties. Maathai, for example, will run for a seat in parliament with the Mazingira Party, after losing the nomination for Mr. Kibaki's Party of National Unity.

Kenya's presidential elections are also scheduled for December 27. Challenger Raila Odinga has been leading President Mwai Kibaki in most opinion polls since late September, but new surveys released during the weekend show Kibaki narrowing the gap.

1 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

2 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

3 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。

4 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

7 disapproving   

adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Mother gave me a disapproving look. 母亲的眼神告诉我她是不赞成的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Her father threw a disapproving glance at her. 她父亲不满地瞥了她一眼。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

9 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 lining   

n.衬里，衬料

参考例句：

• The lining of my coat is torn.我的外套衬里破了。
• Moss makes an attractive lining to wire baskets.用苔藓垫在铁丝篮里很漂亮。

11 acquiesce   

vi.默许，顺从，同意

参考例句：

• Her parents will never acquiesce in such an unsuitable marriage.她的父母决不会答应这门不相宜的婚事。
• He is so independent that he will never acquiesce.他很有主见，所以绝不会顺从。

12 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

13 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。

14 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。

15 aspirants   

n.有志向或渴望获得…的人( aspirant的名词复数 )v.渴望的，有抱负的，追求名誉或地位的( aspirant的第三人称单数 )；有志向或渴望获得…的人

参考例句：

• aspirants to the title of world champion 有志夺取世界冠军的人
• The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out. 考试很严，几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》