Friday, January 25, 2008

Friday 25th January in Kenya


The international media has largely ignored us today so anyone with any hunger for Kenyan news is probably getting a little desperate.

This is probably because sadly all there is to report is yet more violence, deaths and chaos in our country, and no further news on what is going on with the mediation talks between Kofi Annan and the ODM and PNU parties.

All I know is today Kofi Annan has met with the Chairman of the Electoral Commission (ECK), Samuel Kivuitu to find out his side of the story with regards to the election results as what we’ve had from him is:

“Kibaki is the President”

“Perhaps Kibaki didn’t win the elections, I really don’t know”

And now “Kibaki did win because I said so!”

So that could be a very interesting conversation between the two. I think it’ll probably go something like this;

Kofi Annan: “So Mr. Kivuitu, what really happened with regards to the results of the Presidential elections in December?”

Samuel Kivuitu: “Yes but, No but, Yes but, No but ……..”

Our 9 o’clock news did not enlighten us at all on the subject. But I understand that Annan has promised to stay in the country until the current situation is involved. I do hope he’s brought a rather large wardrobe with him as chances are, he could be here for rather a long time.

As for any word from Kibaki and Raila, we’ve just had the usual;

Kibaki; “I am the President.”, and Raila, “I refuse to recognise Kibaki as the President.”

So, as you can imagine we are going really far fast …er, NOT!

As for the rest of Kenya, it seems Nakuru is the latest town in the Rift Valley to be hit hard with the continuous ethnic violence. Gangs of Kikuyu’s (which is Kibaki’s tribe) have decided they have had quite enough of what they say is the Luo’s (Raila’s tribe) and the Kalenjins (our former President Moi’s tribe), killing their people and now it is their turn to take their revenge and have gone on the rampage.

The police have completely lost control and now the army has been brought in to try and quell the violence in the town and the surrounding areas and the government has imposed a curfew from 7pm this evening to 6am tomorrow morning. It is understood that at least 9 people have died today, as well as at least 30 last night, and hundreds of people have had their homes burnt down and have been chased out of town.

Another town that has had horrific violence overnight is Molo (also up in the Rift Valley region) where they say marauding gangs have killed at least 18 people.

The Human Rights Commission are hitting back on those who they say are responsible for this violence and are investigating all incidents they can. They say they will take anyone they can find to be involved in the ongoing violence to the International Courts. The Chairman of the Kenya National Human rights Commission and various other civil society leaders now have had various death threats against them, and the Chairman of the Commission, Maina Kiai has had to leave the country for his own safety.

One last update – my prediction on those taking each other to court to try and nullify MP elections in various constituencies has come true. There are so far 25 different cases in court as of today, (and that’s not including mine for the “MyGodThat’sALotOfCash” constituency!)

It makes me incredibly sad to say this, but as I see it, we are far from peace.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

what constituency is that with a lot of cash.could it be moneybags!!

Anonymous said...

It makes me incredible sad to say that my analysis of an escalation into full-blown ethnic violence is fast becoming true. All I can add is that this does not bode well for the future of my own country if Zuma and Mbeki camps follow the same route - Damn these demons of Africa! We are the craddle of mankind, yet we also seem to represent the End.

aims said...

oh dear! Now I see why all the fuss from Mr. Anonymous. I see in my typing that I left out the words - I feel like I -

Therefore - I feel like I live in paradise.

I must have come across as a spoiled 'insular Canadian' indeed. Sorry about that.

The trouble and strife you are enduring in your country leaves me feeling helpless and overwhelmed.

Again - my apologies.

Mzungu Chick said...

Anon - I'm not sure but if I find a way to earn the kind of cash our MP's do for doing not a lot then I'm in there!

Emil - hope your predictions don't come true. Thanks for caring

Aims - no need to apologise - I thank you for your genuine concern for us.

BabaMzungu said...

According to this morning's BBC website bulletin, Annan is determined find a solution. I have to put my faith in the old man (sorry, elder statesman), as he is about the ony one who seems to have any influence over the Kenyan "leaders".

It is a shame that the Kikuyu are now retaliating for the butt-kicking they received, but who can blame them? Let us hope that this spate has allowed them to vent their spleens and they quieten down.

I liked Nakuru as a town - I don't suppose I would recognise it now.

Anonymous said...

thanks mzu-chick and emil for your concern and thots. i managed to get thro' to my dad this morning. my mom and youngest sister travelled to kisumu on wed to sort out travel documents. guess they're gonna get stuck up there for a while.

nakuru is in a bad way. what people saw is scary. what they didn't is scarier i am told. mungiki have been sent up there to revenge. the luo and luhya are joining up with kalenjin militia(yes that word) who now have AKs and have also descended on the city. that i am told is the reason the army is out there. So both groups proceeded to wreck havoc in their tried and tested modus operandi…mungiki decapitating people in the town centre and kalenjins burning perceived kikuyu estates to flush out kyuks who were then either stoned, shot at with arrows and AKs. The one difference is the estates that were wiped out-bangladesh and githima (near total junction) are lower middle class estates. So it’s not just a slum problem as in nbi. and far as I know there are lots of asians in the former and lots of non kyuks in the latter-just collateral damage I suppose. where my parents live most of our neighbours are kyuks. Sitting ducks? needless to say my dad and us out here are kinda scared but we’ll keep praying.

Mzungu Chick said...

Dad Mzungu - I like your optimism in Kofi Annan, I wish i shared it but most definitely keep it up.

Zed - we are all praying with you