SYLVIA MUDEGU knew she was in grave danger in the violent aftermath of Kenya’s
disputed presidential election when there was a tremendous hammering on the
door of her home.
As she heard the sound of wood breaking, she put her hand over the mouths of
her children Esther, 18 months, and Rose, 3, and hid behind a curtain.
“Don’t move. Don’t make a noise,” she whispered.
Minutes later the 20-year-old woman was begging for her life. Men wielding
sticks and machetes poured into her house, a two-room tin-roofed shack in a
malodorous slum on the eastern side of Nairobi, grabbed her hair and dragged
her outside.
All around, she saw homes on fire and people fleeing as arsonists and looters
tore through the slum taking vengeance on anyone perceived to have voted for
President Mwai Kibaki.
Kibaki is a member of Kenya’s largest tribe, the Kikuyu, and the attackers
went on the rampage believing he had stolen the election from his
challenger, Raila Odinga, in order to stay in power for five more years.
Odinga is the leader of the smaller Luo tribe.
Mudegu knew what to expect next. The men from Odinga’s Luo tribe would rape
her. With other women, she was taken to a stream by the edge of the slum.
“They raped even the old women,” she said. The screams went on and on. “One
girl was 12, and at 12 you know how to scream loudest.”
Mudegu tried to speak with detachment. But a tear on her cheek gave away the
fact that she, too, had been raped.
One of hundreds seeking refuge on a piece of wasteland after their homes had
been torched, she sat in the open this weekend, surrounded by pots, pans and
bags of clothing salvaged from destroyed homes.
“We all worry about the children,” she said. “If they become sick we have no
money to take them to hospital.”
As rival mobs were hacking each other with machetes the cruelty of the
violence could be seen in the gaping wounds that nurses were washing and
bandaging in Nairobi’s hospitals.
There was one teenage boy whose body was perfectly whole except for a calf
severed to the bare bone. He had been brought from the slum in a wheelbarrow
and his eyes were still wild with fear. Another had a wound in the back from
a police bullet. The city morgue was heaped high with bodies.
On Wednesday, during a momentary lull in the fighting, a woman gave birth to a
baby girl in the street amid the cheers of the crowd. She had been trying to
reach a nearby dispensary but stopped for fear of being killed. Then the
fighting began again.
“I cannot believe this is my country,” said a Kenyan businessman when he saw
the misery. “We saw these pitiful scenes with refugees from the Sudan and
Rwanda and now we are seeing them here in the heart of our own capital. It
is unbelievable.
“Kenya has been held up as a model of stability and we Kenyans believed it.
Now that has been shattered. I weep.”
The speed of Kenya’s unravelling has been breathtaking. In Africa, one country
after another has been racked by political violence, massacres, corruption
and civil war. For 44 years, since independence from Britain, Kenya was
largely the exception.
It is true that Jomo Kenyatta, its first leader, and his successor, Daniel
arap Moi, countenanced little dissent and plundered the national treasury.
But viewed against the savagery that descended on its neighbours – Uganda,
Ethiopia, Sudan and Rwanda – Kenya was a success story. It was an economic
hub and a top tourist destination.
Hidden away were problems, however. Kenya is a mosaic of 42 tribes. But since
independence the Kikuyu have dominated politically and economically.
Political patronage enabled them to settle across the country outside their
densely populated traditional homeland near Mount Kenya. While poor Kikuyu
drove communal taxis or ran street stalls, the wealthier ones owned the big
businesses.
Their growing presence and economic power attracted resentment, especially in
the Rift Valley in the west.
In the last elections many Kalenjin, the original Rift Valley inhabitants,
backed Odinga. Other minor tribes threw in their lot with the flamboyant
opposition leader, hoping for a better deal under a Luo president. This led
to the closest-fought election in African history.
The violence has killed more than 300 people and the wider suffering has been
terrible. Half a million need food and 180,000 have fled their homes.
Reports from western Kenya said children were dying from exposure. The
World Food Programme suggested that up to 100,000 people faced starvation.
The election was projected as a milestone in Kenya’s advance to a more mature
democracy. In 2002 Kibaki had put down the first marker on this path when he
won a multi-party election that ended Moi’s autocratic rule. Odinga helped
in his victory. But the two fell out and became political opponents.
On December 27, Kenyans voted, with Odinga consistently ahead in opinion
polls. He won a parliamentary majority, but two days after election day,
delays in counting for the presidential contest and rumours of electoral
fraud sparked riots.
Last Sunday, Kibaki was declared the winner by 231,728 votes, even though
Odinga had led by a substantial margin in preliminary results. Kibaki was
sworn in secretively as 152 European Union observers declared the election
deeply flawed.
Aggrieved at having apparently been cheated out of power, Luos went on the
rampage against Kibaki’s Kikuyu supporters. Even mobile phone text messages
called for violence. “Let’s wipe out the Mt Kenya mafia,” they read, a
reference to Kibaki’s power base. “Kill two, get one free.”
As the Kikuyu hit back, tribal clashes spread through the Rift Valley and
beyond, as far as the teeming slums of Nairobi and on to Mombasa and the
Kenyan coast. In the Rift Valley, the Luo were supported by the Kalenjin and
another minor tribe.
The resurrection of two violent criminal gangs, the Mungiki and the Taliban,
loyal to the Kikuyu and Luo respectively, added a gruesome dimension.
The Taliban were blamed for horrendous killings in which Kikuyu were hacked to
death with machetes in the slums of Nairobi. The Mungiki, who are bound by
secret rituals, were accused of hacking off heads and mutilating Luo men. It
was reported that a number of Luos were admitted to hospital after forced
circumcisions.
The Luo do not practise male circumcision, while the Kikuyu are one of several
tribes in which it is a rite of passage.
On Tuesday, a new atrocity evoked memories of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in
which 800,000 people died. Attackers burnt alive Kikuyu women, children and
elderly people sheltering inside a church just outside Eldoret in the Rift
Valley.
After throwing stones at the church to make sure the refugees stayed inside,
they blocked the door with mattresses soaked in fuel, and added piles of
dried maize leaves. Then they set the whole lot on fire. Soon the church was
a blazing inferno.
A few escaped, including a woman who broke out, her baby in a shawl on her
back. The shawl caught fire. The baby fell back into the flames. The woman
ran away with her hair on fire, screaming.
Late last week Eldoret was ringed with road blocks guarded by young men with
clubs and bows. Passing cars were searched. Kikuyu were being turned back,
fined or killed.
The town became a seething refugee camp. Officials said 60,000 people, mostly
Kikuyu, had sought shelter in police stations and churches.
“We were beaten up and we are homeless,” said Esther Njoroge, 52, as she
cooked a meagre dinner for her family in the shadow of the central police
station. “Everything was burnt down. We can’t go back.”
Those who did were killed. Kikuyus said that members of the Luo and Kalenjin
were pointing out Kikuyu homes to looters, who burnt them.
About 9,000 refugees were sheltering at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral.
They said they could never return home, not only because they feared death,
but because they could never live side by side with people from other tribes
again.
“We don’t want anything to do with them,” said Daniel Paul, 35. “They have
shown us that they do not want us. Some of us they burnt inside our houses.”
Susan Kiarie, 26, said: “They were saying that the Kikuyus have been ruling
for so many years and they should not be given another chance to rule. We
have no hope because as soon as we go back we will be killed.”
A wave of violence on the eastern coast also cost lives. A mob robbed the
store of a prominent local Kikuyu businessman at Miritini, a cluster of
houses and shops beside the Mombasa-to-Nairobi railway line 12 miles from
Kenya’s famous beach resorts.
Yesterday, international peacemakers pushed Kibaki and Odinga to agree to
power-sharing. Kibaki told the American assistant secretary of state,
Jendayi Frazer, that he was ready to form a government of national unity to
stop the violence.
But Odinga maintained his position that Kibaki had stolen the election and
must step down. He wanted a rerun of the polls in three months, managed by
an interim government.
Kibaki rejects this unless the courts order it.
Without a rapid solution, Kenya’s image as a haven of stability will be
shattered. Thousands of western tourists have already been warned to keep
away. The country’s billion-pound tourist industry is in jeopardy, and the
unrest threatens Kenya’s impressive recent economic growth.
Although the violence softened at the end of the week, few expect the killing
to stop until Kibaki and Odinga negotiate a compromise.
“The level of hatred is very high,” said a Red Cross official. “Violence of
tribal origin is the worst. It knows no limits and is extremely difficult to
quell.”
Additional reporting: Nick Wadhams in Eldoret, Rob Crilly in Nairobi, Tom
Lyons in Mombasa and Hala Jaber
This is not as simple as tribe against tribe. I am a 19 year old Kenyan and the simple truth is that the older wealthy Kikuyu politicians who are the root problem of the current situation in Kenya.
They are an arrogant, corrupt & extremely selfish lot. Only during elections do they use their ethnicity to win support and after that its business as usual. Mr. Githongo who was head of an anti-corruption body in Kenya is on self-exile in Britain because he was fighting grand corruption by this group of people!
Raila Odinga is the best suited to clean up all the mess that has for years been swept under the carpet. Mr. Kibaki is an old sickly man known for being indecisive and besides, was clearly beaten in the recent polls. The polls were rigged and he was secretively sworn in during a weird ceremony that didn't even play the national anthem.
The international community now has a wonderful opportunity to clamp down hard on Kibaki and force a re-run of the polls.
roda bukachi, Nairobi, Kenya
Mindy, I think by using "Taliban", they are referring to the "Luo" group that is the equivalent of the 'Mungiki" sect. By no means are they signalling that Bin Laden's Taliban friends are involved in this. Since "Taliban" is a term strongly linked with terror and its acts, this press group opted to name the supposed Luo faction after this gruesome group. The Western media keeps painting a picture that shows that only Luos and Kikuyus are fighting, with the Luos doing most of the killing. This is an inflation of facts. Not all Luos are aligned against all Kikuyus; In various showgrounds/refugee camps, people of different tribes are co-existing. I believe the violence in Kenya is being propagated by some individuals of various tribes against others, under the guise of being Luos against Kikuyus and vice versa. The leaders have the power to stop this violence with a simple seat-down to negotiate some sort of agreement that would benefit all Kenyans and truly reflect respect of democracy.
Mkhana N Mkhana, Los Angeles, USA
They mention the TALIBAN, saying they are responsible for the worst of the violence!!
Is that the same muslim taliban causing such havoc around the world?????????????
Isn't anyone noticing this little factoid?
mindy
mindy775, massapequa, NY, USA
it has been corruption that made Kenya looked a model in Africa by keeping in dark to the world !
Yes, luxury houses, hotel, motel, bottles, cars, safari's etc. luxury all is there but who paid for it how it happened, some what about poor people who are suffering from decade by corruption and draining resources from them by rule as well as their resources disappeared in hope !
poor are left poorer and richer got richer, look at the ratio of debt and falls economy of the country
n, london,
Odinga won in 5 provinces out of 8 with 101 parliament seats and somebody wants him to be in opposition. Final tallying revealed Kibaki had 4,533,008. Raila 4,348,980,Kalonzo-807,005 and others.Its
rather absurd. Kibaki got a maximum of three million votes and Odinga had over four point five. Its very unfair to say the least.
Thats why Kenyans reacted in that violence manner. Whoever said here that its Luo and Kikuyu he is mistaken. Kenya has 42 tribes and all 40 except two Kikuyu(central) and Meru(eatsern voted for Raila.
Kenya is crying blood because of a greedy man with self egos who has no remorse that people are dying and instead of dialogue he has turned kenya into a police state threatening opposition with dire consequences and also he has denied them media coverage as he has suspended live coverage.
The European Union observers have dismissed the tallying process and other dignatrories say it was flawed.In this whole world its only Museven of Uganda who congratulated him reasons you all know that he also rigged himself to power. raila is the kenyan peoples democratic choice and Kibaki knows thats why he can only take refuge at statehouse
KCIN , NAIROBI, AYUBO
Odinga won in 5 provinces out of 8 with 101 parliament seats and somebody wants him to be in opposition. Final tallying revealed Kibaki had 4,533,008. Raila 4,348,980,Kalonzo-807,005 and others.Its
rather absurd. Kibaki got a maximum of three million votes and Odinga had over four point five. Its very unfair to say the least.
Thats why Kenyans reacted in that violence manner. Whoever said here that its Luo and Kikuyu he is mistaken. Kenya has 42 tribes and all 40 except two Kikuyu(central) and Meru(eatsern voted for Raila.
Kenya is crying blood because of a greedy man with self egos who has no remorse that people are dying and instead of dialogue he has turned kenya into a police state threatening opposition with dire consequences and also he has denied them media coverage as he has suspended live coverage.
The European Union observers have dismissed the tallying process and other dignatrories say it was flawed.In this whole world its only Museven of Uganda who congratulated him reasons you all know that he also rigged himself to power. raila is the kenyan peoples democratic choice and Kibaki knows thats why he can only take refuge at statehouse
KCIN , NAIROBI, TEXAS
It is quite a generous assessment to lay the blame for this type of behavior on the outcome of a disputed election, although bitterly disappointed by the election Bush appeared to steal from Gore I would not imagine anyone gave any serious thought to raping his or her neighbors or hacking up the local children with machetes. Some nations simply are not prepared for western liberal democracy as evidenced by the response to losing elections fairly or otherwise.
rolf groth, liverpool,
The Kenyan election debacle is an African problem and should be solved by Africans.
The West continually jumping in and trying to resolve matters, whether it be floods, famine, wars or crooked governments. Doing so,the West is not allowing Africa to learn from experience and to develop it's own relief and other agencies.
Further in most cases it allows the African governments off the hook of responsiblity. A case in point Mugabe blaming his countries woes on sanctions applied by the West. Notwithstanding the miilions of dollars worth of Western aid pouring in.
Let aid flow from the wealthier African countries to their brethren, let us encourage the likes of AB Tutu and other African leaders to come forward to resolve their problems.
Who understands Africans better than anyone else? - Africans.
David, Wellington
David Hawkins, Wellington, UK
It must be....white racism. The Economy. Bush!
No, seriously, its the PEOPLE THEMSELVES! They are evil. They choose to do evil. Read the "Spear of Destiny" by Trevor Ravenscroft. Hitler was evil, just as these African monsters have chosen to hurt the innocent. Politics is an excuse.
Jack E., Highland, NY, USA
Well, well, well, who is surprised??
Dave Madley, Poole, Dorset, England
This shows corruption at it's highest form. It is like Hitler's Germany. They have been brainwashed by authority to do the most criminal of acts, the politicians should be ashamed of what they have done but clearly, his words of calm do not reach his troubled people.
Sam, london, England
Although I feel sorry for the ordinary poeple on the street in Kenya the first thing that came to my mind was here we go again the same with Pakistan and now the west has to stump up the aid, these countries dont know the meaning of democracy they are backward, the African tribes wont tolerate other tribes on their lands its been like that for hundreds of years just read African history, its funny though that we the British tribes in the UK have to have these poeple on our lands thanks to our successive govenments we are dictated to and told we have to put up with it, good job we the British tribes are more civilised, these Africans and Pakistanies kill each other even when they live in our land , whats the point of aiding them when they will do the same again at the next elections
Johno, Balsall Common, UK
I am a Kenyan living in the United Kingdom. I must say that the comment from Stanley, the soldier in Isiolo Kenya, has really moved me. It is wrong for other Kenyans to attack the Kikuyus (who have every right to co-exist peacefully with other tribes). They are not the problem - Kibaki and his old cronies are!
Once there is disunity in the military, what comes next? I shudder to think!
Paul Siele, London, UK
Africa has a lot of deep rooted problems which are always ready to exploded at anytime. The violence in Kenya has just revealed that. I was brought up in a very impoverished African slum and for over twenty years now the slums have not changed for any better. Politicians always promise better things for the voters but they end up doing nothing for the very communities which vote for them. Unless Africa comes up with visionary leaders with genuine motives to improve the life styles of the poor such problems will always resurface at some point. With its vast resources Africa should have been a shining continent but greedy, corruption and other vices are its daily tags.
charles, Edinburgh, Scotland
Yet more consequences of the criminally minded, who steal power.
A facet of humanity throughout its history, from which none of us is completely safe, even in nice comfortable England.
SteveH, London, UK
If the politicians ever did as promised and brought prosperity to all instead of themselves then this tragedy would never have occurred. Discontent with blatant corruption and injustice stoked the fires of this resentment .Promoted distinction between tribes for political purposes, each tribe encouraged to vote for its candidate, resulted in the present disaster. How Kibaki can be seen to be smiling while walking with Archbishop Tutu beggars belief.
Ithought I knew the Kenyan people having worked alongside them, Kikuyu and Luo, and found them to be decent kind people. What has politics done to them?
Brian, rosyth, scotland
I am a born again kenyan soldier from the Central province the stronghold of president Kibaki. Much have been said and done since the last disputed general election, but am sure no one has talked about what is happening within the barracks. The reality on the ground is not what people see on the television or hear over the radio. It is a test of faith for me to stand up and speek against the evil that has happenned. It is true that Kibaki never won the elections, hurriedly sworn into the office even without a national anthem being sung and the military throwing to the dust bin all the preparations they had done in Nairobi for the D-Day. The man in control is not even the CGS who is also silently lamenting, but one below him eying the very seat. We people from Central are seen by our colleagues as thieves wherever we walk in the barracks. True it is all tribes against us. We live in fear. Innocent people have died because of the ego and guilt of one man.
Stanley, Isiolo, Kenya