Kenyan Violence
So far it’s a mixed picture when it comes to the goings on in Kenya right now. According to Riba Capital Nairobi is calm – at least for now.
Banks were open and the financial system is fully operational and fuel supplies have resumed atleast within Nairobi. Things in general were stable today as businesses opened and people reported to work. However considering Raila has called for a mass action meeting tomorrow at the Uhuru park, most businesses are expected to close and the city centre could turn to a ghost town as was the case in the last few days..
News from Eldoret is tough to get. According to various mainstream news reports, thousands of Kenyans have crossed the border into Uganda, and hundreds have fled to Tanzania. The death toll reported by the media so far ranges from 250-500.
BBC has a map of Kenya showing ethnicity. I don’t know how accurate it is.
Thinker’s Room confirms that shelves in Nairobi are being stocked and things seem slowly getting back to normal. He also postulates that President Mwai Kibaki wasn’t interested in running again until just two months ago. His evidence is pretty strong.
Kenyan Pundit on the other hand is leaving Nairobi for Johannesburg.
After lots of back and forth and mental anguish for me I have decided to head back to Johannesburg where I’m currently based. It’s been a tough day. I’m from a multi-ethnic background and I feel like I’m being hit on all sides – family stranded in Kericho, no word from family in Kisumu and Western, in-laws under siege in Nakuru, relatives businesses being looted at the Coast, my mother emptying out her two stalls at Kenyatta market and carrying out things in plastic bags and duffel bags because mobs have threatened to burn down the market tomorrow – that’s her livelihood – it’s bad enough that she’s had no business for most of December. We are all feeling so helpless and are reduced to platitudes like “let’s hope for the best” and all “we can do is pray” and “it will end soon” and “these guys need to do something” but all we are doing is masking our fear that we are on a precipice.
The BBC is reporting that the opposition rally in Nairobi will be held tomorrow in defiance of the government ban. I doubt the apparent calm will hold.
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