Unrest in Kenya

I have been following the news in Kenya very carefully over the last week. It breaks my heart to see what is happening all over the country. I have read horrific stories of people killing with machetes and even the Kenyan army opening fire on protesters without warning. My host family and dear friends are safe as of word I received yesterday, but they are without food and fuel. Please join me in praying for the country of Kenya. It is sad to think that turmoil and unrest fills the streets of Korogocho, Mathare, Kibera, and other slums I visited this summer. My heart goes out to my brothers and sisters there.
My friend Ryan Jones sent out an email last night clearly summarizing what is going on Kenya. For more updates you can visit BBC News:
Kenya’s election was a BIG deal to everyone in Kenya. There has been a long and intense political race between incumbent Kibaki and his main political rival, Raila Odinga. In every poll since September, Raila had the advantage by at the very least a few percentage points. The election “results” announced this weekend didn’t match these polls and are highly questionable based on a number of things. For example… voter turn-out in Kibaki (the incumbent’s) main strongholds was as high as 115% - hmmm… the vast majority of Kibaki’s cabinet was voted out in the same district that appeared to strongly support him (again, hmmm…). Furthermore, election observers from the European Union and the US noted a lot of inconsistencies in the way results were reported. Also, the election results from the disputed areas came in late (even though they were in areas close to Nairobi) and the people responsible for these election results “disappeared” for 24 hours and had their phones shut off, (etc., etc…). Finally, when the results were announced, there was an immediate negative response followed by Kibaki moving the important people to another guarded room where he wasted no time being sworn in (within an hour). All of this very clearly points to a rigged election.
Immediately, protesters began looting and killing. Kibaki responded by blocking all live media broadcasts and by putting police out in mass force telling them to shoot if people were seen out after a curfew announced in certain areas. In the insanity that has followed, more than 300 people have been killed with many more being injured. Hundreds of homes, businesses and farms have been burned and 70,000 people are reported to be displaced fearing violence. Violence has been along ethnic lines (following the way the politics goes as well). In a terrible turn of events, a church full of people looking for protection was burned in ethnic violence and around 50 people died. Tragically, these kind of stories keep on coming in. Much of the violence in and around Nairobi has been in Kibera, Mathare, and in the other slums.
Although leaders are urging people to be calm, things are not getting calmer. The opposition feels trapped by the events of the election because, although the EU and US observers are urging the opposition to take the election results to the courts, they are not interested in having Kibaki’s cronies (who dominate the courts) make this kind of a decision. In short, democracy is on the line for this nation.
All of this matters a lot for a country that is poised in so many ways to take off economically. Until now, they have had a quite peaceful 44 year history. A civil war is the last thing they need.
A banned mass march is planned to take place within hours (since they are 10 hours ahead, it is tomorrow there). This march is led by mostly Odinga supporters as a right to their own rights and justice. Please stand in prayer for Kenya.