Not much to report as yet.
– The president has called a meeting of all MPs at State House at 3:00 pm
– For those who are asking about a military intervention or the Karamajong militia in Eldoret – I have been unable to confirm those stories.
– I do have it from reliable sources within the diplomatic community that Kivuitu’s life was threatened leaving him with no choice. There are also claims that Kibaki is under siege by his cronies and has no control over the situation.
– Been watching footage of the situation in Eldoret and keep wondering where the police, military are? You can’t get access to city mortuary because there are like 60 guys guarding it, but vigilantes have set up 30 roadblocks on the Eldoret road – what the hell is going on?
– How to help? Red Cross Kenya is asking for donations of food, blankets, and blood.
Ory:
Depending on when you start the clock this crisis has been going on for 3-5 days. As you rightly point out with all the injured and displaced people this is now becoming a humanitarian in addition to a political crisis.
In the best of times the average Kenyan lives a day-to-day (hand to mouth?) existence. These are far from the best of times. I just watched footage on YouTube of the refugees at the Kisumu’s DCs office and they are desperate already.
We must do what we can.
-Silaha
The meeting Kibaki has called is the same mistake pattern of 2002. When will he Learn? Ory by now i am aware that my views do not quite blend with the pattern of your blog.. but allow me to state the follwing. By ignoring the ODM leadership and calling this meeting he is making a fundamental mistake towards conflict resolution. As long as their exist an impasse he has no authority to all elected MPs from other parties. His presidential creditials and mandate is in question. This is the same thing that destroyed the Vision Kenya had in 2002. The arm twisting and carrot dangling pattern is about to be repeated. Dont to remember how districts were being dished. Its an attempt by HIM to find support from other communities through bribery now that it is obvious HE IS ALONE. This president lacks empathy and is blatantly callous. Let me tell you and mark my words at this rate the worse is still to come… u will remember this one day
The nation website is reporting that the military is being deployed to violence affected areas to help avert a humanitarian crisis.
The article further states that government spokesman Mutua has ruled out mediation with ODM, saying the country was not at war to warrant mediation efforts.
Mutua is quoted on yahoo news as saying the violence has affected only 3% of Kenyans and that Kenya is not burning nor is it at the throes of division.
I also got word that 300 Morans have been mobilized in Narok district to continue burning Kikuyu homes in the area. It is rumored (not confirmed) that the morans have been given a list of Kikuyu businesses to burn and PNU supporters to evict from the area. There was continued violence in the area overnight though not as bad as previous nights. Police are asking businesses to repopen and that they will provide protection to any busines that repoens. There is a serious food shortage developing in both Narok Town and surrounding areas.
It is sad the way issues are being handled. Now PNU has announced that ODM is guilty of genocide! How does this help in stopping the violence? The problem is that both sides are guilty it now appears that we need a neutral person to intervene.
So Kibaki is calling upon all MPs-elect or former MP? Do you think ODM will go there? I doubt because the approach being used here is one that adverserial kind of.
Any idea of what ODM is planning to do over the violence?
How many MPs have attended that 3 PM meeting? I somehow suspect that it will be less than 50%.
For those of us in the diaspora, here is the link to donate to Red Cross Kenya
Ory,
Thank you so much for keeping us informed. I live in the USA but my parents still live there and it is only your blog that has kept us sane the last few days.
We are praying for peace to be restored soon. Keep it going, we appreciate you.
Thanks again and Lord Bless,
Zinzi
Our Ugandan business reports that the price of fuel in Kampala has risen five fold today to UgSh 10,000 per litre !
The Ugandans must love us even more!
Refugees flee into Uganda
Published: Wednesday, 2 January, 2008, 02:42 AM Doha Time
KAMPALA: Hundreds of Kikuyu tribespeople have crossed the Kenyan border into neighbouring Uganda to escape escalating tribal violence sparked by disputed presidential elections, officials said Tuesday.
Fleeing Kikuyu have been entering Uganda through the Malaba and Busia border posts, the officials said.
“From the first day, we have received 450 refugees in our location, the numbers continue to grow. There is a similar influx at Busia border,†an official returning from the Malaba crossing said.
He said some border areas had seen vicious ethnic violence.
NAIROBI: At least 70,000 people have been displaced in western Kenya by the post-electoral unrest, the Kenya Red Cross said yesterday.
“This is a national disaster,†Abbas Gullet, the agency’s secretary general, told reporters. “From the area we visited today there are roughly about 70,000 (displaced).â€
Aerial video footage taken by the humanitarian group showed hundreds of houses on fire, farms set ablaze and road blocks every 10km.
He added that only those from “the right ethnic group†were allowed through the barricades.
Source: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=193264&version=1&template_id=39&parent_id=21
Check out these pictures from the streets of Kisumu:
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/14279
And this video of the police walking in the streets of Nairobi:
http://www.africanews.com/site/list_messages/14267
My family are in a ‘safe’ place somewhere in Eldoret but for how long?It’s like a scene straight out of ‘Hotel Rwanda’.The fear grips me even if i am so far away.i hear my young nephews asking me to pray for them and my heart cries.Where will they get help?Relatives’ homes are nothing but ashes.Police station overflowing with the newly homeless, roads barricaded, airport packed to the brim,no flights.why are they not letting Bantus out of Eldoret?do they have plans for them later on???i shudder to imagine.it is no longer about politics,otherwise they would have found out that half my family voted for ODM.It is now about tribalism and ethnic cleansing.why repeat the same mistakes made by Rwanda not so long ago?i weep….
These are tragic times.
This is available at http://www.demokrazy.org/kenya
I’ve followed the killings currently taking place in Kenya, (a previously very peaceful country in a volatile region of Africa) with much disgust. Leaders the world over must make known that no life is more important than the other, so nothing should simply be dismissed as isolated cases or as the government spokesperson put it, “it’s normal violence that characterises our elections.â€
No sensible recipient of such excuses should say, “Ok then sort it out.†There should be no violence and worse still, there should be no deaths. This brings the second issue: the speed at which the government moved-in to muzzle the media. The government advisors should know that lack of information is as worse as disinformation and that’s what seems to be taking place in Kenya. The local media has been stopped from reporting on the deaths that are being recorded on hourly basis and the world is simply watching.
My understanding of the situation (and I stand to be corrected), the clashes being witnessed in the country now has very little to do with tribal or ethnicity and the foreign media is now referring to it; it’s the citizens that are displaying their anger at what they believe is an issue of vote-rigging or vote-theft. The citizens feel violated and the common Kikuyu man and woman, child and the aged are now suffering for what their leaders have done way back in Nairobi.
Most of these Kikuyus now being attacked in the Rift Valley, Mombasa, Molo, Nakuru, Migori, Kisumu, Busia, Kakamega, Eldoret (basically all over the country) may even have voted for the opposition whose supporters are now venting their anger.
But it must also be pointed out that most of those who have died since December 30, have been victims of police bullets. To prevent the exact effects of their bullets being known, police have been posted to guard morgues across the country to avoid their atrocities being know.
I’d not go into the finer details on how votes are claimed to have been stolen (rigged) as that has been covered by various bloggers and observers across the world, but the confession of the Electoral Commission of Kenya Chairman, Samuel Kivuitu that he was harassed into declaring Mwai Kibaki the winner should not be taken lightly.
Kivuitu went on to confess that he decided against resigning before declaring what he believed to be questionable results for fear of being seen as a coward. Pride, how did he put his pride before doing the right thing? This confession has not calmed the feelings of the voters. Having covered various press conferences addressed by Mr Kivuitu on numerous occasions in the past, he is not the kind of a person that can easily be pushed into doing what is wrong. It’s for this reason that I believe Kivuitu is not being completely honest in his confession.
As a grand father, Kivuitu must now see and tell the world what his ‘cowardice’ has caused the country.
Lastly, as we wait a stop to the killings that is currently making world headlines, the local media should not allow itself to be pushed like Kivuitu was into duping the country. The situation is already bad and failing to inform the public comprehensively shall just lead to more losses of lives. The public has a right to be told what parts of the country are not safe to venture into and exactly what is being done to resolve the situation.
It was time the press lived to its responsibility of keeping the public informed at all cost. The gag order by Security Ministry is not only unconstitutional, but doesn’t conform to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of which Kenya is a signatory.
NB: Just watched a Sky News broadcast where a Dr. David Matsanga a Ugandan Public Relations businessman has come out defending the Kenyan government. For those who don’t know anything about this self-claimed doctor, he has on numerous occasions been featured by various media houses on issues pertaining to Africa.
This is the same doctor who has been in Dr Robert Mugabe’s payroll as a PR guru. He also has links with the Uganda’s LRA. http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/mar3a_2003.html the main question would be, why hire such a person to do your PR work? The killings must be stopped NOW not tomorrow.
Is there any sense if the violence is organized or spontaneous? Are there leaders? Are orders coming down from somewhere?
Is there any update on whether Mama Mikes is working for sending phone credit? I have tried sending credit but it will not go through on the Kenyan end. This is very troubling since this is now one of the only ways to send money to Kenya, with Western Unions and banks closed. Any word on that? Thanks.
How nice of the red cross. I wonder if Raila Odinga and William Ruto will provide their own donations to the people who are “fighting” on their behalf. Why would you destroy everything around you and be left homeless and without food? It makes no sense whatsoever.
Kenyanentrepreneur.com
We have an ECK head who “apparently had no control over the situatiaon” and a rigged in president who can’t govern. Can someone shed some light to what our options are?
In regard to where the military is in the Eldoret situation. My fear is that the military is deeply divided. I think it was much easier to crack down hard on Kisumu, given that there are almost no Luos in the military ranks, but that it has proven much harder to crack down in the Rift Valley given the substantial Kalenjin ranks in the military. Thus the subterfuge about using the military for humanitarian reasons in the Rift Valley.
I was wondering about that military deployment as well, all day. (Sitting here in Brazil about a gazillion miles away from the action, but wondering.) I just read in The Nation that [I cut and paste] “The military has been deployed to various parts of the country affected by violence following President Kibaki’s re-election.”
Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said the military has been deployed to assist in averting a humanitarian crisis. He said the soldiers will help in the distribution of food, blankets and medical supplies in those areas.
“This is not the first time we are undertaking this venture,” said Dr Mutua. “The military has always assisted in undertaking these assignments and this time is no exception,” he added.
Dr Mutua also said the government is ruling out mediation as a means to resolve the skirmishes rocking parts of the country following the impasse over the controversial presidential election results.
The spokesman said the country was not at war to warrant the deployment of mediators to bridge peace in the country.
“We have not yet reached a Somali like situation to allow mediators to come to our country,” he told a news conference.
The government seems to be saing both that “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” are underway, and civil war is imminent (as reported by the Washington Post today) and also THAT THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.
Is Kibaki still alive anyway? Remember he is already paralysed. Does anybody wonder why he hasn’t uttered anything yet? A healthy person can’t handle such pressure, how could a sick one?
How helpful is it, really, to helpful to keep publishing rumors, especially alarming news? Passions are already inflamed enough.
I hope and pray that this gathering storm of reprisals will die down and soon.
On a personal note, I think Kibaki should be ashame of himself for letting his country drift into chaos, because of lust for power. When will African leaders learn to put country first?
Ory thanks for keeping us updated especially to us outside the country. I was listening to BBC radio half an hour ago and one of Kibakis supporter saying asking Kibaki to step down for the peace of Kenyans. I think that is what Kibaki should do
does the redcroos have a bank account where kenyans in the diaspora can wire money or is ther a trusted account we can setup a paypal account for that
“Kibaki is under siege by his cronies and has no control over the situation.”
That is exactly what Kivuitu said, “presidents are under seige by people surrounding them”. Am sure all the other PNUers are also under seige. this whole situation sounds like it is being controlled by on a handFul oF people. Back to Moi days it is sad, sad, sad!
Please, people how long can we live like this?
I do not know what the way forward looks like but I do know that our generations have built this Nation for far too long for it to come to this. How can we now want to undo all of their hard work in one instant by maiming and killing one another?
Can’t we can express our anger and frustration in peaceful ways?
We have to start by recognizing that all Kenyans are valuable to this country, there is no need to assert one’s importance and contribution through violence.
You are a Kenyan, so am I and we have been living in relative harmony for decades….the envy of our neighbours and now even the refugees are fleeing?
On the flip side, if you lost a relative or a friend ….we are very sorry for your loss and offer our deepest sympathies.
We do not honour the memory of our loved one’s nor restore the honour of those that were abused or maimed by looking for somebody else to do it to.
Would our family and friends really want us to injure or kill somebody else in their name?
We have one country spread amongst ourselves and each other….that’s it, that’s all we have.
😡 I have lot respect for PNU and ODM leadership for not doing enough to avert and stop the senseless violence in Kenya. I pray that God will raise a new crop of leaders in Kenya who will not engage in tribal politics. I would like to see the government conduct fair investigations and prosecute all individuals who were involved in the killing and of innocent Kenyans (especially children and women).
Apparently NTV is back on the air. What are they saying?
From a friend in Kisii: just after Kivuiti’s announcement last week (seems so long ago now!) some youth were fighting in streets of Kisii town, some bonfires overnight, but by now there is a “tense calm.” Folks are starting to come back into town and discussing teh situation. There were/are roadblocks along the Kisii-Sotik road, with cars of Gikuyu being burnt (this info was from a couple of days ago). Unconfirmed: at least one bridge on the road has been destroyed.
Ishara well said.
George Ochieng, — now is not the time to continue to fuel the fire. Shame on you.
From a knowledgable source: Kibaki met with the new PNU MPs earlier today (Wed.) At least some MPs believe a recount is necessary.
anyone else got info on UG troops at the border?
there have been appeals to have the link to the red cross kenya’s link to where we can donate money to help or fellow kenyans. please someone, put it up.
http://www.kenyaredcross.org/
there it is.
I tried to copy the red cross Kenya link earlier but for some reason it did not work. if you go their web page ( kenyaredcross.org) you should be able to see the donate link at the bottom of the page. Unfortunately it appears you can only do a bank transfer for now if you are outside the country.
Kenyanentrepreneur.com, please don’t go there by asking inflamatory questions. Why pick on Ruto and Raila? And the Kenyans are not fighting on their behalf, they’re fighting because they feel cheated. I was home for three weeks just so I could vote. ODM is bigger than Ruto and Raila…it has reps from every tribe, including Kikuyu.
I was in Limuru, new Kukes who voted for the ODM, including mys ister-in-law…why? They were tired of Kibaki’s rich cronies bleeding the counry dry.
Bella
Ory, Thanks a million but b4 u go or any1 else who know the total standing on the number of MPs from all the parties?
Happy 2008
i wish Kenyanentrepreneur.com would stop making unjustified statements. Ruto and Raila have no part in this. the only mistake they did was WIN the elections! i think people should be true to themselves and pin point where the problem is (an illegitimate government). Mutahi Ngunyi one of president kibakis strategist who was based in state house said this on tv ” A government that doesnt rig the elections is an incompetent government”.
I am a Nigerian and hereby wish to regiser my solidarity with the people of Kenya at this trying period of their political history.
Now that Kibaki has decided to constitute a cabinet and inaugurated a parliament where fortunately the ODM has an upper hand and a Speaker, I appeal that we give peace a chance. The opposition has a voice in the Parliament with Raila Odinga and others there. As International mediation continues, I also appeal that these brutal killings should stop.
By the way, kindly help me locate my friend in Kenya by name, Millicent Akoth, hope she is safe with her family
They can reach me on my e-mail. Long live Kenyans
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