A Reflection on Kenya's Toughest Week

Nairobi, Kenya - Magu Nguru - Thursday, January 10th, 2008 : goo

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Now relaxed, I reflect on the events that I personally witnessed and saw on the telly during the last week. that week seemed like a month with so much happening. Never in my life have I been so anxious, stressed, worried about the future. at least I can thank God that I and my family are alive and well. I don't know if you have ever experienced a breathless feeling that is more enduring than a prolonged scary scene in a horror movie or have ever walked blind fold in an unfamiliar territory. I think no words can describe the feeling that we felt as Kenyans. We were just minutes away from a total melt down. At least on a positive note, I have finally come to discover that the Kenyan people are a peace loving people.

Imagine in the midst of all the hacking and looting, many Kenyans stopped to ask themselves who was dying and having their houses burnt. Reason prevailed and the people realized that while the politicians ferried their children abroad into safety and wined and dined in classy hotels screaming " stop the violence!", the ordinary Kenyan was having their properties burnt and family killed. Together with a strong police presence guarding all important installations, peace has returned to most of the country that now as I seat to write this mail, the blare of the loud music of the Matatus, and the shouting of the hawkers are back. Kenya is alive again with all the hustling and shoving that we all love it for- with its beauty untouched!

but we always ask, shall the threat of war resurrect again, what about the more than over 225,000 people who are now declared as refugees in Uganda, Nakuru, Tigoni, Jamhuri park and other parts of the country..... shall we say since life is back to normal, then we can ignore the root causes of the violence!

a quick flashback

towards the end of last year (2007) as I and two friends relaxed in kilifi, reviewing our achievements for last year and drawing out our plan for 2008, we could hardly concentrate on our work as we saw the drama unfolding, I being from the Kikuyu tribe somewhat felt unpatriotic to my kinsmen for the sake of our country and openly supported Raila Odinga a Luo during the campaign period. As the initial poll results showing him leading, I could not hide my joys that finally change had come to the country. I actually even wrote text messages to my friend to ask them to accept a Luo president even though I my self had some fears about a Raila presidency. then came 30th and the presidential results stopped streaming in to the Kenyatta conference center where the Electoral commission had pitched tent, located symbolically at the heart of the city often referred to as center of power. Kenyans started to ask questions; why the delay as we watched the telly with disbelief, we knew all was in control since all the political leaders were present at the hall, off course except Kibaki.

On the 31st of December as we prepared to celebrate the new year at George's parents new home in Mtwapa the results were announced and Mr Kibaki was declared president. As Raila and crew shouted rigging showing specific constituencies were rigging actually took place, Kibaki was quietly being sworn in as president at state house a little after 5:30 pm. that night all hell broke loose. deep seated hatred based on economic inequalities, land issues, business acumen that have made the Kikuyu the most prosperous tribe in Kenya resurrected. "it is enough to take our land and business away from us through your shrewdness..." all other tribes retorted "but now even political power from us, No never!" soon the houses started to burn. one person dead ,two people dead, three, four, five .... all been Kikuyu and why?....

Firstly they enmass voted for their tribesmate kibaki who had now appointed himself president, secondly since they lived all over the country controlling business. It was therefore easy to overpower them in areas where they had migrated and dominated business and thirdly all along the Kikuyu had projected themselves to all other tribes as superior. Even as Kibaki rigged himself they openly celebrated his victory.

by the end of the first night armed personnel had guarded all the towns and now we could not leave mtwapa (actually we were taking Santa a friend to Tanzania to meet his fiancée) I been a Kikuyu was also a target but thanks to George and Santa and their parents, I was safely hidden in the compound. That's what friends are for! sadly 36 people had died.

I quickly started weighing my options to escape and find my way to Tanzania as a refugee, I also considered how I would hide in the bush in case a full war would erupt. I deeply thought about my family and friends and realized how much I loved them. the next two days were very unnerving. We were forced to spend two days with dwindling supplies of food, no movement and little communication. At one point, food was so little and we were tempted to go to Mombasa even though there were armed police. At least we were able to celebrate new year in Mtwapa with a few drinks and fire works but that did not change the reality of the situation..

Soon Kenyan leaders started to crying for peace, the people started to cry for peace international leaders intervened and called for peace. Truly Kenya is an island of peace and the almighty God is with us... on second of January 2008 Mombasa, Nairobi and all other towns except Eldoret and Kisumu were opened up to normal life and i was able to travel to Nairobi

slowly peace and reason prevailed, the riots and looting subsided and a state of normalcy returned on Monday 7th 2008 people started to return to work....

as we reflect on the week that passed, I together with some friends have held discussions on how to at least start addressing the core issues that caused the violence in the first place. we now also intend to involve you as members of idealist in finding long lasting solutions

firstly we need to address the issue of the 225,000 refugees who are mostly in the country. we need to make donations of food stuff and other items to be delivered to the Red Cross and churches to help the poor families in need.

secondly we intend to address the root issues of inequality and social injustice that revolve around land issues, economic disparities, colonial resource distribution among other issues

Thirdly, we believe that the current constitutional crisis lies in the fact that the seat of the presidency in the constitution makes the holder of the seat so powerful that he can get away with anything and still be in line with the constitution. in Kenyan language we say that the president is above the law. He actually has the right to life through the presidential pardon to death row convicts.

finally we shall involve members of all communities in our work and also hold discussions, debates and workshops that will discuss the deep seated tribal hatred and just as in the Aids Awareness campaigns cause attitude change towards various tribes

I therefore hope that you will still hold Kenya in your prayers and support all Kenyans to reconstruct their country and live together in peace in whatever way you can

if you have any suggestions or wish to share your experiences please do so

Yours

Magu Nguru

www.twawezakenya.com

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