01 January 2008

chaos in kenya

We interrupt this regular blog post to bring you a special report...seriously, though.

We had planned to tell you about our new favorite music group, FreshlyGround. We'll get to them tomorrow.

Instead, we want to tell you about something close to our hearts that is getting a lot of airtime in Africa but is probably not being talked about much in the US.



Kenya is falling into chaos, tearing at the seams.

A disputed presidential election is taking an immense toll on Kenya, a previously peaceful country. An election that has had multiple accusations of vote-rigging has uncovered centuries-old tribal rivalries which has then resulted in much (too much) bloodshed.

Among the areas hardest hit by the violence and unrest is Eldoret, the major city nearest the orphanage we were at only months ago.

From the New York Times:
Dozens of people seeking refuge in a church in Kenya were burned to death by a mob on Tuesday, according to witnesses and Red Cross officials, in an escalation of ethnic violence that is threatening to plunge the country into chaos.

Up to 40 people died inside the church, a few miles from a town called Eldoret, after young men from a rival tribe poured gasoline on it and set it on fire, the witnesses and officials said.

In Nairobi, the capital, tribal militias squared off against each other in several slums. Witness reports indicate that more 200 people have been killed in the past two days in violence connected to a disputed election Kenya held last week.

A knot of rage seemed to be moving across the country, from the slums of Nairobi, the capital, to the cities along the Indian Ocean, to usually tranquil towns on the savanna. Many people were furious that President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner on Sunday in the country’s most fiercely fought election, despite widespread evidence of fraud.


Please pray with us that our brothers and sisters in Kenya would soon find peace.

3 comments:

  1. i saw this on good morning america this morning. it is so sad. ill be praying...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kyle,

    I have been keeping up with the blog updates of my friends who are in the middle of all of the rioting in Kenya. Please go to my My Space page (www.myspace.com/shannonocasey) and click on my friend Daniel or Meridith, both of whom are still there in Kitale. You will read an honest detailed blog about what is happening. It is serious, it is dangerous and I am very concerned about the children at Lemoru. Would it be possible for Willie to call James Sawe to find out the status at the home?? Do they have food? Are they safe? Etc...My firnds are staying safe for now but are quickly running out of food and there is no fuel at this time. They can not evacuate since there are road blocks manned by tribal fanatics who are killing, looting and raping. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for these people, the children and the whole of Kenya. Kyle, if you can find anything out about the children at the home please email me ASAP!!

    Love you two - Shannon :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. There has been coverage since the time the 'genocide' started. It was eerie to see the town we visited, El Doret in the news (rioters burned a church of refugees there). What can we do but Pray.

    ReplyDelete