Politics

Situation in Kenya (Part 2): Picking up the Pieces

It would appear the opposition ODM has given up its confrontationist stance, trying to negotiate a solution. AMD sends in her update. I also attach some photos she took on the 29th and 30th (the days of the violence) from Turkana and the road from Eldoret to Nairobi.

Update 2: Picking up the Pieces

Note: This was sent as a personal email to a few friends, and should not be seen as a solicitation

Things seem to be back to normal, shops are slowly filling up with produce, and fuel is no longer in shortage.

Though not all UN agencies have resumed work yet, some of the key ones, i.e. WFP and UNICEF, have deployed emergency teams in the worst areas - western, slums, Rift Valley - to set up IDP camps (Internally Displaced Persons). A colleague from UNICEF is out in Eldoret, setting up IDP camps. He says it is not pretty. He’s a watsan guy.

In some parts of the country people have lost all they had. There are donation banks set up everywhere, Red Cross vehicles roaming the streets more than usual, and taking food donations right at the grocery store gates. It’s sort of like a big disaster…like when there’s a hurricane or something. It sort of reminds me of the hurricane that hit Bermuda when I was there, and how people all pulled together to help out their neighbours.

The rally by the ODM today, was called off because the head of the African Union has finally agreed to mediate the situation. Or as the Kenyan Government says, to discuss. The Kenyan Government does not like the word mediate…it suggests like something is wrong! So they are just coming to discuss…DISCUSS!

And the foreigners? There are meetings between the heads of various missions every day (embassies and high commissions) because they are all responsible for their nationals currently in Kenya. Because this was high season for tourism, there were an abnormally high number of foreigners in Kenya when this broke out, and people were calling their embassies to be evacuated. It was a logistical nightmare…. I knew I had my ticket home on the 18th, no matter what! ha…prepare for the unlikely!

We are hoping this is the last of it all…keep your fingers crossed. Now it’s about rebuilding the country, and the esteem of the people. And getting this fake government out of office!!!

If any of you want to donate any food etc, just let me know and we can purchase stuff on your behalf. food, clothes, mattresses, etc. You can always deposit in my canadian account and I can pull it out here. It is a direct line to helping Kenya…no costs involved.

Pictures from Last Week

Lining up: Morulem polling station, Turkana

Waiting for the election results, Turkana

Police checkpoint, the road to Nairobi

Burning tires, the road to Nairobi

Protest march last Tuesday, Nairobi

Riot police in waiting, Nairobi

© 2008 The Discomfort Zone.