If you haven't heard the world news, Nairobi is in the middle of a lot of chaos. There have been about 300 people killed. Beatings, riots, burning of homes, looting... everything.
So I'm not much to watch the world news or keep up with what's happening, but everything is put in proper perspective now that I've been there and know MANY people who are personally effected by all of this.
So, here's a short summary of why this is happening:
The government in Nairobi is corrupt, but yet was known as one of the most stable governments in the Africa. (When I was there, there would be police holding machine guns and sticks doing random stops along the road... sometimes taking people's belongings and beating people. Needless to say I was very uncomfortable when we were driving down the highway in the diesel matatu.)
The incumbant president is a member of the Kikiyu tribe. The president that was up against him in the election, which took place on the 27th, is in the Luo tribe. People living in poverty were drawn to this new guy because he campaigned as "Champion for the poor" and there was hope for the first time that if this guy won, the government would do something to help aleviate the poverty conditions which they live in. His main constituent is the Kibera Slum (where I stayed). The incumbant has handled money badly, and making many many empty promises to those living in the slums. For example, money was alotted for 5 light towers to be put in the Kibera slum, but I only saw 2. These light towers were to help to keep the occurances of rape and other violence down. Basically, there is still a lot of poverty and tribalism in the country that hasn't changed since he took over in 2002.
So apparently, on election day, it looked as if the new guy was going to win.
But, the incumbant ended up winning, and now the opposition leader has accused him of rigging the election.
300 dead, 75,000 people displaced. Homes burnt down. Orders to shoot to kill. Ethnic cleansing (basically attempts to get rid of a tribe). Shops burnt down. Fighting everywhere.
No water (which is scarce anyway).
No food.
And definitely no security
So what's next? There is going to be an opposition rally today in Kenya (they are 8 hours ahead). There is said to be a million people show up for that. Concerns are that violence will swell during this... which is likely.
Those who live in poverty are upset and have all the emotions built up. They have something to fight for. (See the video below to get a feel for this.) In the slums, which are often divided along tribal lines, rival groups have been fighting each other with machetes and sticks as police use tear gas and bullets to keep them from moving farther into the city. Kibera has seen the most violence according to the news.
The effects? Shops are closed because of looting. The price of food has skyrocketed. (A loaf of bread, which used to be about 20 shillings, is now 120 shillings.) And, people have to walk farther to even get their food. My friends have told me they have not eaten for days. Where we stayed this summer is in the middle of all the chaos. Shops along both sides of the road we walked up and down multiple times a day are burnt down, which is a ten second walk from Sammy's home.
I am so worried about my friends there. One of them has a brother who has been arrested. (He is a Luo tribe, and the government is Kikiyu.) Another friend had his home ransacked and destroyed. Sammy has left his home with his family and has taken refuge. Sammy is Kikiyu... and the Luo's are seeking the Kikiyu's and attacking them. Actually, some of the YCT (the ministry we worked with) members are staying at Sammy's house and told me that some opposition showed up at Sammy's to create trouble. After seeing the YCT members were Luo, they left.
But... their response? While on the phone, my friend Boblin asked me what I was going to eat for supper. I couldn't answer. He just said "no no no, Janelle, you live in America. Don't mind. You give God glory for everything, just as we here in Kenya are doing."
Check out Acts 17:26-27. This is the verse he mentioned to me while I was in Africa.
That is the faith of a friend who I have missed. My friends, who were there for me during one of the hardest times of my life when my Grandma passed away, are enduring a lot of suffering and I can't do anything... but PRAY.
Please do the same!
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Video that shows you how people in Kibera are feeling:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/2246462022476942
Pictures:
http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,2990,00.html2_0
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/01/01/world/20080101KENYA_index.html
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/12/31/world/1231-KENYA_index.html
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2007/12/30/world/20071231KENYA_index.html
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Emails from my friends:
Hello Janelle!
Praise the Lord!! Happy New Year!!!
I'm so much encouraged with your concern about us, it's amazings to have wonderful sisters who's hearts beat with the love of God.
Yes we've had a rough time here in Kibera because of the elections that were held on 27th. Dissagreements came coz of rigging claims by the oppotition, and this has affected especially our area since it's the stronghold of the opposition party. There has been looting of shops, burning of shops, killings though this has been low. If you can remember the shop(flat) that was just next to Sammy's house, it was burnt down, and the shops that were along Olympic road on both sides were all burnt down. There has been scarcity of food and it's been expensive.
Pray with us here that God will intervene on our behalf.
Thanks and may God's peace reighn in your heart.
Boblin Omondi
Hun its worse down here and we are so glad you're praying for us. We cant survive in the hands of a rigged president for the next five years. Shops burnt down, pple killed, media burnt( by govt) in airing live news so its hard to know whats going on in the entire country, no food, no opened malls and no peace too. Over the protest for justice.
We are praying that the international will come to our rescue before things go out of hands. Kibera mostly targeted coz its the home(constituent) of the opposition leader( Raila Odinga) who was rigged against.
Peace be with you too, PETER
Please do something to Help soon. we are in a very BIG problem were are are unsafe, because their is one tribe in Kenya called LUO'S bringing Big Problem.please form more information please turn to your TV ON CNN OR BCC World NEWS.
We need you help to move to safety, please call for more information any time soon
Sammy Njiru
Kenya in Kibera Slums
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
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