Send us your pictures and stories from inside Kenya
pictures to: onlinepics@thetimes.co.uk or text to: 07834 885058
stories to: news@timesonline.co.uk
British tourists and expatriates in Kenya had to remain indoors yesterday, and
350 arriving home at Gatwick told of their experiences as the post-election
violence continued.
Gordon Brown expressed grave concern about the situation in the East African
country and pledged “unstinting” support for reconciliation attempts there.
During telephone conversations on New Year’s Eve, the Prime Minister called
on President Kibaki, who was sworn in for a second term on Sunday, and Raila
Odinga, the opposition leader, to stop the violence.
Mr Brown also spoke to President Kufuor of Ghana, who is chairman of the
African Union, and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, a former president of Sierra Leone
and head of the Commonwealth observer mission in Kenya, about international
assistance for the process of reconciliation.
With the violence showing little sign of abating last night, the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office advised the 7,000 British tourists currently in Kenya to
stay indoors.
“If you need to travel you should exercise extreme caution and seek advice
locally,” officials said.
They cautioned against all but essential travel to a number of mainly urban
areas, including some parts of Mombasa and Nairobi.
Most tourists are based in beach and safari centres outside the cities, but
about 12,000 British nationals who are based in Kenya more permanently are
registered with the High Commission in Nairobi.
The Foreign Office said that there could be up to 30,000 Britons in Kenya at
any one time, including expatriates, and added: “We are not aware of any who
have been injured or killed.”
Yesterday a British mother of three said that she and her family and friends
had been “holed up in our homes for three days” by the violence. Writing on
her blog, entitled Africa Expat Wives’ Club, she added: “New year safaris
have been cancelled and very few ventured out to party last night . . . The
only excursions we have made are to friends’ houses or to the shops, where
produce is running very low as the resupply infrastructure has broken down.”
She expected few people to return to work today as scheduled.
Alison Rogers, 42, a British teacher who lives in the opposition stronghold of
Kisumu, had to flee to a hotel with her family after some of the most
serious violence. “Getting to the airport would be a frightening experience
as your car could be stoned or set on fire,” she said.
A British tourist staying in Nairobi said that, although the situation there
was deteriorating, it was too dangerous to continue her journey to Mombasa.
“No money is available as ATMs are empty,” the woman, who asked not to be
named, told the BBC. “Most hotels have placed a ‘polite’ notice saying they
are short-staffed. Some staff are having to stay in hotels, sleeping on
floors.”
Outside the urban centres, tourists said, things were calmer. “There is a
considerable terrorist police increase, although Nairobi is where most of
the problems are,” said one holidaymaker, John Yeomans, 57, from Surrey, who
had been staying at a resort in Shanzu Beach before returning to Gatwick
last night. “I would not go there now but if you are there and in a hotel
you don’t have to go out,” he added.
Ian Newman, who is still staying at a beach resort south of Mombasa with his
family, described the atmosphere there as relaxed. “There’s a news blackout
here — the Government seems to have stopped the newspapers; there’s not much
happening on the radio either. We’re in a very resorty sort of place. It
looks as though most of the violence is limited to the urban areas.”
The travel company Kuoni, which organises trips to Kenya, said that it had not
yet received any requests from customers wanting to come home or cancel
their holiday. “We have cancelled excursions into Nairobi and Mombasa but
all the safaris are going ahead as normal,” a spokeswoman said. “We will
continue to monitor the situation and would look into any requests to come
home on an individual basis.”
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said that their flights to and from Kenya
were operating normally, while a spokesman for Abta said: “We are monitoring
the situation very closely.
After Mr Brown’s talks with President Kufuor and Dr Kabbah, a Downing Street
spokesman said: “They agreed on the urgent need to establish a process of
reconciliation in Kenya facilitated by the Commonwealth and the African
Union.”
Quote:
"What does it say when so called people burn people alive?
how can they ever look at themselves in the mirror again ? They must be Atheist
don, Los angeles, usa"
What kind of comment is this? I am an atheist and I can assure you that the news of the church burning and innocent people perishing inside it, has torn my heart apart.
I am relieved the fighting has subdued, and have faith in the Kenyan peoples to stop the violence from escalating. It is unfortunate that the opposition protesters -having most likely had a valid case for discontent- have utterly lost the moral high ground by committing horrendous atrocities against innocent men, women and children. May the sight and guilt of dying children haunt the perpetrators forever.
Inga Nicholas, London, UK
Hope they didn't have to go to the toilet when they got to Gatwick - if they did, they might be having second thoughts on the wisdom of their getting out of Kenya!
Douglas, Arlesheim, Switzerland
What does it say when so called people burn people alive?
how can they ever look at themselves in the mirror again ? They must be Atheist
don, Los angeles, usa