Elections Aftermath
01
January
Thanks to all of those checking into the welfare of myself and Ory. We’re OK.
For some reason shortly after my post I was unable to access any websites at all. I like to think that it was a purely technical hitch, which persisted all day. I’m now blogging from another connection.
News
- 140 people reported dead as per police estimates. Which means actual numbers are probably larger
- City Mortuary ringed by heavily armed guards, presumably to contain details of numbers of dead
- Government spokesman claims violence is in “one or two places”. Dr. Mutua, I think you need glasses and a hearing aid
- SMS messages threatening prosecution for forwarding some messages beginning to trickle in
- Government bans ODM rally scheduled for Thursday
- Nairobi Women’s hospital reports sharply increased incidences of rape, gang rape and sodomy based purely on numbers of people that have accessed their services. Considering the public transport system has ground to a halt I shudder at the thought of the actual numbers on the ground
- Kisumu and Mombasa have all but ground to a halt.
- Kibera has been cordoned off, as of yesterday afternoon. No going in or out.
- Mwai Kibaki’s New Year’s address goes out of its way to stress the elections were free and fair.
- Raila Odinga refuses to negotiate with Kibaki unless Kibaki concedes that he indeed lost the elections
The Morning After
My hood, South B, is right next to the Mukuru slums. As you can well imagine I have had ringside seats to the action. Stones have been thrown at me, my neigbourhood shops have been looted and torched, houses were broken into and looted and cars have been set on fire. Armed police have been patrolling ever since the 30th and we have been operating with our lights off. Sporadic gunfire, sounding suspiciously like machine gun fire peppers the night.
Mercifully the only damage I have suffered is a few broken windows.
I managed to get some pictures of the aftermath. I dare anyone to hold back their tears after meeting face to face people who have lost everything because of the selfishness of a few.
The above shots are from where two kiosks and adjacent homes owned by friends of mine were looted and burnt
Proprietors review their looted salon
This man ponders what to do after his livelihood is reduced to rubble
Debris strewn after the rowdy mob passed through
This shop was completely gutted
Remnants of the rioter’s roadblock
These shops were broken into and looted
Some businessmen flee
Police on patrol in their chopper
Remains of a gutted house
This shop was broken into and looted
Another shop that suffered the same fate
Depressing does not begin to describe this. Will post more pics later with a response to all those Pro PNU and Pro ODM messages/emails from people who have no clue exactly what happened on the 30th and exactly what we have lost.
1. wathiifm
(84 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
M,
It’s quite a sight there with the photos..Kibera is a no go zone with a buddy of mine who just got married being forced to retreat to his Mum’s home after leaving there 8years ago.It’s really sad we have to under go all this because of some selfish fool in state house
And for those of you who are saying that Kibaki didn’t rig,think twice with your brains and not arses if the after math of elections is anything to go by.
As Mutua,I think his arse need a whipping if the chaos in all the 7 provinces of kenya apart from central n upper eastern is anything to go by!
Why should only one part of the country celebrate while 7 others bleed coz of a democracy denied???
Kibaki you have let us down.
2. wathiifm
(84 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 3:24 pm
M,
Just have a look at this link from Al Jazeera especially this bit “Kibaki’s Party of National Unity hit back, accusing Odinga’s supporters of engaging in “wanton rigging by ballot-stuffing” that had fraudulently given them more than 900,000 votes and turnout of more than 100 per cent in Odinga strongholds.”
here is the link
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C48C7BAD-45F5-4B29-92CE-AE9D7B3BB70E.htm
3. Nakeel
(77 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Its real sad the death rape everything. The PNU should stop wearing a mask. If at all they wanted peace they should have respectf the voice of Kenyans. Banning the rally just makes things worse.
4. Half n Half
(13 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Those photos have shaken me more than anything I have read since this whole issue began. Thx M
With the banning of the rally am not seeing an light at the end of this very very dark tunnel.
Am still praying.
Keep the updates coming.
5. abelian
(53 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 9:42 pm
wathiifm,
This is not the time to hit at your political opponents, this is time to first deal with the sickening violence and then we play politics later
6. Jen
(1 Comments) | January 1st, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Thank you for sharing this information. I hope your safety was not in jeoparty more by clicking those photos. These are the images that really leave a lasting impression. I will be getting news from this blog.
7. Imani
(1 Comments) | January 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 pm
Hey,I have just seen the pics of the hood, and that the pics are outside our house, on that row opposite Kariba, Mukuru and the mosque is shocking!I had heard (from the family)that they almost set the houses alight, but I did not know that this was the extent of the damage. I have lived there all my life and I am South B damu. I saw the remains of the hair kiosk owned by a Coasterian family and others that have been there since forever.What a shame!I am so far away right now, and we are thinking and praying for Kenya.
Thanks for the updates.