Kenyan Pundit

By Kenneth Karanja

Let me start on Dec. 24, 2007. My friends and I met to finalize on our investment plan for Kenya. We were planning to buy shares and build some hostels. Loans were to be taken, several hundred thousand. We were all ecstatic that the economic growth in Kenya would allow us to return home and build a life among our people, devoid of racism, and the severe winters of Minnesota. We had different political opinions. Some supported ODM, some PNU, others ODM-K but we all were in agreement that whoever wins the economic growth would continue.

December 27, 2007 and after. We all kept in touch via phone. Watching KTN, KBC and CNN online and routing each for their preferred party and candidate. When the presidential results were announced, we all felt cheated; our political persuasions not withstanding. What had happened to Kenya? We thought we were a democracy. We were all disturbed. Then suddenly the violence broke out, mayhem, looting, death and destruction. One of my friends called me “watu warudi shags” I was like what “shags” mine was in the belly of the beast. I come from Molo and I had experienced clashes in 1992 and 1997. Low level skirmishes but fearful and life threatening nonetheless. My friends’ family he told me was safely in Kisumu having left Nairobi prior to the elections. I called home and sure enough things were bad. What do I do from the States? I asked them if they were safe and they assured me they were but they had no money to evacuate if need be. WTF, I thought. Then I remembered the campaign rhetoric, majimbo this, majimbo that, this time it was going to happen for real. What with the burning of the church. This was not like the clashes of 10 years ago. The events of 1992 and 1997 came to mind. The fear and the worry returned, and then the guilt. I am safe but my elderly parents, my sister and nephew were not. I promised to send them money, but they could not go to town to retrieve it from Western Union. Then I worried what if they go and get hacked on the way. Matatus were being stopped and people had to show ID before being dispatched to the nether world. I delayed for a day. Next day, I could not reach them on the phone. I called other people from my area living in the USA. They had not received any adverse news. Then one of my friends called to report that 2 people had been killed not too far from my home. I almost lost it. Next day, I texted them to inquire about their safety but I got no reply. What do I do but wait and hope for the best. I attended a peace rally in St. Paul, Minnesota. Justice this and that, respect the people’s democratic choice, Kibaki resign, etc etc. I did not care for all these, my parents were in grave danger, and people have died. I wanted reassurance not rhetoric and surely not politics.

Jan 4. After 2 long days, I finally get in touch with my family and they were still holed up in Molo. I had sent them some money and we discussed evacuating to Nairobi, and if all hell breaks loose may be to Sudan where I have a sibling. To Juba, Sudan imagine that. This time we were not going to take chances. Things were thick, even in the time of Moi people were not killed in church. This was too much, the respect for God was gone yet Kenya was a Christian nation. What will happen to us mere wananchi caught up between the battle of the titans. As we talked I could hear police helicopters hovering overhead. I hoped the police would help, though they told me that roadblocks had been set up by angry youth and the police could do nothing about it. They fly overhead as people fry below.

Jan 5. A text message arrives that they received the money, a bit of relief; at least they have the funds to evacuate to Nairobi. Whatever that means, I do not know. I cannot do much from here, but what I can do I will do.

Jan 6. About the investment, I am done with Kenya. My colleagues are urging circumspection. I hate the feeling of being unwanted in my own country. I am still dead worried about my family. I am hoping for the best. Just for knowledge, I have Zambian friends I will be talking too. I understand it is a peaceful country.

By Kamau

Going through this whole nightmare has brought up some very raw
emotions in me. Rage at the politicians, deep sorrow for the victims
and burning anger at the thugs. However it is some of my friends who
have evoked that sense of disbelief in me. I’m talking of people that
we went to college with and who, I hitherto would have considered
fairly open minded given our collective experiences in these united
states, and the many injustices we’ve encountered almost on a daily
basis. And for them to turn around and approve and stand in defense of
the unfairness meted to our fellow Kenyans has been most
disturbing.Then add to that the open tribal – bashing and
stereotyping, this from people who’ve not been back to Kenya in over a
decade and whose circle of friends is pretty diverse – It has just
been agonising and heartbreaking so much so that at one of our heated
exchanges the blatant tribalism was so much I for the first time felt
ashamed of my tribes folks.

However, if there is a silver lining from this, at least from a
personal perspective, it is that I will make deliberate effort to
reach out to people from more different communities and my hope is
that if we all did a little of reaching out, those preconceived
notions and stereotypes will be dispelled and may be, just may be,
we’ll know better next time some politician tries to exploit our
diversity. That’s not to say that the authorities don’t need to
address the underlying socio-economic issues.

By Anon

“I also want to say that I agree with the sentiments of Damte and only hope that we can learn from one another.

The sad events that have taken place in Kenya over the last few days have just displayed to me that democracy in Africa may not necessarily be the answer for us which means that we have to find out what works for us, …..we have just been branded by the international community as another failed African state descending into chaos which means we have to go back to the drawing board.

When I say we, I mean we as Africans have to find a way what works for us. We have more than enough case studies to work from at least to ensure that this should never happen again. We need to find a way of ensuring that the people’s voice counts for something and not simply the elite in our society.

My fear is that as long as the gap between the rich and the poor remains, unfortunately the elite in power will always get their way. For this reason we as people on the ground need to ensure that we get as much out of the education programs and economic programs that are already in place. Let us at least move into a place where we are not simply dictated to what we should or should not do but reach a place where we hold our leaders accountable without any fear of repercussions.

But its not all doom and gloom! As Africans we have shown our resilient nature to the world as well and I do believe we will get out of this and only become stronger. To me it almost appears as if in order for Africans to move along we need to go through a travesty such as this, if only to ensure we do not make the same mistakes and seal all the loop holes that got us into the mess in the first place.

The recent events have also only served to reinforce what I have always felt about news that emanates from Africa, we need to really work on news for us by us, we can no longer rely on the international stations and media to report news in a way that reflects the African perspective. We saw how our own media houses let us down when we needed them the most albeit through no fault of their own. (Although I do still feel that they failed us one way or the other). For this reason I cannot wait for our own Pan African news station that the late Mohamed Amin is working on;

He believes “A24″ can be launched by autumn 2007, with TV and radio stations complemented by mobile and Internet services to take advantage of fast-expanding communications across Africa.

“It’s ambitious … but this continent needs its own voice. We think the time and technology is right now to launch an African version of Al Jazeera,” he said, referring to the Qatar-based pan-Arab satellite channel.

“All being well, we’re looking at fall 2007 to be on air… We’re not a PR station, it’s not to promote Africa but to show Africa through the eyes of Africans, the good and the bad.”
http://www.chinadaily.net/world/2006-04/07/content_563010.htm

It will also open our eyes to all that is happening around the continent, we will be able to learn from each other see where others have gone right or gone wrong and see how we can improve the situation in our own countries. Too many times we close our eyes to what is going on around the continent simply be adopting the attitude of “we have our own problems to deal with”. So maybe this was a wake up call not only to Kenya but to the rest of Africa too, we need to wake up from our deep slumber and do something to save our continent. We have all it takes to achieve it, the rest of the world see’s our potential, I hope we can too.”

By Tamtam

“I feel shit scared, and niko na wasi wasi 24/7.

I started a blog today, as my phone has been ringing off the hook with friends, colleagues, and relatives elsewhere checking on what is happening. It just felt easier to put things in one place.

I feel so powerless knowing that things could escalate, and I am not there with my loved ones.

The prospect of being a Kenyan Refugee is real, which is something that I had never contemplated.

I cannot even begin to think of losing my family at home, and have gone from ringing Nairobi once a week, to five times a day since this whole thing started.

My anxiety levels are high. I sob when I see photo coverage, and watch the news. I spend anytime that I have online, and have to watch the news every day now.

I have become obsessed with what is going on. It is important to me, and I am praying so hard that the violence stops.

The one thing that I am very aware of now, is what tribe I am.The ethnic violence is chilling.

What I can’t get over is the way in which the elections were rigged. It was so shameless and blatant, and the people had to respond in one way or another.

I feel very drained, and I am not at home, so how the hell are people at home feeling.

It is scary knowing that communication could be cut, when they stopped the live media broadcast, I wondered what I would do if we were cut off. Honestly, I don’t think I would cope.”