Kenya in Crisis Day 19: Tensions Remain High

Children went back to school all over Kenya as an extended recess due to the violence was lifted...

Schools in most of Kenya have re-opened after holidays were extended for a week following post-election violence.

But education officials are concerned that schools in Rift Valley, worst hit by the violence, may not resume lessons due to a lack of students and teachers.

While this is no doubt a sign of good news, it is unclear just how tenuous this is. There are several large demonstrations planned and violence potentially to pick in the aftermath. While the violence continues, the parties continue to jockey for political position. The opposition leader has asked the President to quit gracefully...

In a CNN interview Kenyan opposition chief Raila Odinga said he would ask President Mwai Kibaki to "quit gracefully" if they meet face-to-face to end a political crisis in the country.

It is of course many of Odinga's supporters who in the aftermath of the election results decided to single out supporters of the President, Kibaki, for violence. There is nothing graceful about any of the players at this point...

Violence continues to flare up sporadically around the country, and the places worst hit continue to remain in crisis...

In Kisumu, another area hit by violence, the BBC's Muliro Telewa says many schools have re-opened but not many students or teachers have turned up, due to lack of transport and security fears.

It continues to be unclear just how much real control, if any, the current government has of the country. The current government is largely accused of rigging the elections. In the aftermath, members of the coalition of tribes that made up the opposition have singled out members of the government's tribe, the Kikuyu, and committed violence against them.