I'd like to apologise for an error.
I had reported yesterday that I'd heard 6 were killed in Nairobi, 6 in Kisumu and another 3 in Eldoret.
I have since found out that this is the 'official' report from the police of who was shot and injured in these areas and not who was killed. ( - although chances are the numbers were at least this, probably higher.)
I was around Uhuru Park early this morning but apart from the 100 police standing by chatting, things were very quiet.
More than likely this won't last the day sadly.
What I don't understand (along with half the world probably), is why the police are using live ammunition. All these protests yesterday started peaceful as such. Yes they made noise, put some rocks in the road and lit some bonfires, but it was all relatively harmless stuff. They didn't fight each other or the police and they didn't loot and smash the place up.
What they did do though which our Kenyan police cannot handle is taunt them, making faces and jibes.
Surely though police should be trained to be able to handle that kind of thing - it's just words and gestures, and it certainly won't get you killed. But you see it on the faces of the police. They absolutely can't stand the taunting because as far as they are concerned, they have a job and a uniform and a loaded gun and therefore they can't let people who have no jobs, no uniforms and no weapons get the better of them.
I'm sure that's how they see it, and they completely lose their tempers, and that bravado s**t takes over and they cannot help themselves but use those guns.
Its horrific, and the worst thing is ...........
We've got it all to look forward to again this afternoon.
6 comments:
It is truly a sad set of circumstances. The police are probably using live ammo because they mainly support the regime, and the protestors are obviously from the opposition. Kenya has been a great example of what can be done in Africa, especially considering that the country in the middle of very volatile area. If it wasn't for the fact that Kenya represents a buffer to the USA against religious fanatics, the States would likely not have spend &1 billion there - and largely would have ignored what the going-ons now. Ai, that the demons of this continent had to manifest in Kenya!
Thanks Emil for your comments. I totally agree that it is a very sad situation for Kenya to be in.
I also think it is bone-headed of the state continue mis-using the intstruments of violence that it controls in this way. actually it is this stance on the protests that is worsening the situation. if they simply allowed people to go to uhuru park for example, life within the CBD would not have been disrupted. the protestors and certaninly ODM know better than that. as it is, it is the violence meted out by the state's agencies of violence that is provoking people to retaliate by destroying property hence perpetuating this unfortunate cycle. it is something you expect those idiots issuing these directives to know!
also, if the state and its spokesman keep harping on about things 'not getting on to rwanda situation yet' i.e everything is fine...why then do they have to use inordinate amount of violence and indiscriminately kill people who are seeking to gather? tbh I the dishonesty, arrogance, insensitivity and intolerance that is being exhibited these people really scares me. It is that kind of attitude that feeds the tribal hatred and it is precisely because of it that we might never get out of this mess looking good as a nation…if indeed we ever do get of it ie.
Thanks for your updates mzungu chick. Just remember to stay out of the firing line lol
Thanks for your upto the minute updates. I long ago gave up on BBC and CNN and am relying on blogs like yours which are an excellent source of up to the minute news.
I however wish you had nothing to report but the utter stupidity of both Raila and Kibaki has put us in this place. Only a miracle can save us now....
i wish the cops worked with the same zeal during normal times,I think they have been promised something!!
hussein
Thanks for all your great comments. I appreciate knowing that people from all over are keeping up with what's going on in our world.
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