VOA标准英语2008年-Opposition Calls for Mass Rallies Across Kenya

By Nick Wadhams
Nairobi
11 January 2008

Kenya's political opposition¹ says mediation² efforts with the government over Kenya's flawed December elections have collapsed³ and the opposition is now calling for mass rallies across the country next week. Nick Wadhams has this report for VOA from Nairobi.

Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Secretary-General Anyang Nyongo called for Kenyans in towns around Kenya to gather for three days of protests next week, in a move that it hopes will mimic⁴ the Ukrainian revolution that led to the overturning of flawed election results.

Just minutes after the plan was announced, Kenya's police commissioner⁵ said the rallies would not be allowed.

Leaders of the opposition laid blame for the country's political deadlock⁶ in the lap of President Mwai Kibaki's government which says the opposition should bring its complaints to court.  Opposition leaders says that the vote count, which has been surrounded by allegations of rigging, was a violation⁷ of the constitution and that the courts are in Mr. Kibaki's pocket.

Flanked by opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and ODM lawmakers who won parliamentary seats, Nyongo called the vote-rigging and the government's stance a betrayal of the rights of all Kenyans.

"The Kibaki side does not want a just solution," he said.  "It is hell-bent on clinging to power regardless of the verdict of the people of Kenya. The Kibaki side wants only to dictate⁸ terms that we should follow. There are no compromises and no second thoughts about what they have done. Talks are just an opportunity for them to delay and silence us, while they consolidate⁹ themselves in power."

At least 500 people have been killed and more than 250,000 displaced in violence that erupted since Kenya's vote, and neither side has shown any willingness to compromise.  On Thursday, Ghana President John Kufuor left Kenya after failing to achieve a deal between the two sides.

President Kibaki has named several members of his new Cabinet despite the controversy¹⁰ over the vote, which international observers say appears to have been rigged. Almost all of those appointed are political allies, a fact that the opposition has said is proof of his unwillingness¹¹ to compromise.

The government says it is committed to constructive¹² dialogue, but opposition leader Nyongo says that is a sham¹³.

"Stealing is still going on, cheating is still going on, and quite honestly, Kibaki should be embarrassed to be, embarrassed every day by the fact that he stole," he added.  "I don't think it's a very good sign to be a head of state who has the extra title of eminent¹⁴ thief."

Meanwhile on Thursday, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan was to arrive with several prominent African leaders to try to broker¹⁵ a compromise. Mr. Odinga's team has said it only wants talks to take place through a mediator¹⁶, while President Kibaki has insisted on face-to-face negotiations¹⁷.

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 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

3 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

4 mimic   

v.模仿，戏弄；n.模仿他人言行的人

参考例句：

• A parrot can mimic a person's voice.鹦鹉能学人的声音。
• He used to mimic speech peculiarities of another.他过去总是模仿别人讲话的特点。

5 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

6 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。

7 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

8 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

9 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

10 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

11 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

12 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

13 sham   

n./adj.假冒(的)，虚伪(的)

参考例句：

• They cunningly played the game of sham peace.他们狡滑地玩弄假和平的把戏。
• His love was a mere sham.他的爱情是虚假的。

14 eminent   

adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的

参考例句：

• We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
• He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。

15 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

16 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

17 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。