Feedback from Kenya
January 11, 2008
This week has been a horrific week for Kenya...church burnings, more riots, death, failed attempts at reconciliation.
I issued a call for reader feedback and got a flood of response.
Here's one of the most outspoken, articulate e-mails...Emma in Kenya wrties:
My once peaceful country is now shattered and at the verge of sinking never to be recovered. The question is not tribal but robbery of democracy. We went out in large numbers to vote because we wanted change and the PNU team rigged the elections. This is why people are fighting because they feel cheated and have resorted to the only way they know that they can be heard - violence against one another. We are not allowed to have peaceful mass rallies so what happens when you are locked up in your estate no food no social services no electricity? This is oppression of the majority. Out of desperation, pain and anger, people have ended up releasing anger and frustration onto the wrong people our neighbours and friends. We believe it is the only chance we have to have justice done to us the voters - we voted Raila and God is our witness. The ODM team cannot seek redress in court because the judiary system is as flawed as elections results.
We hope the Ghaniain president will help come up with a solution that will reflect the view of the majority. How can PNU claim to have won the elections when 90% of the Kenyans do not want the previous regime? As far as I am concerned Raila was the People's choice decided on 27th December 2007 and Kibaki cannot impose himself himself on us. If he indeed has the interests of Kenyans at heart as he claims let him give Raila what is rightfully his - i.e resign immediately. Our sisters, mothers and innocent children have been raped, killed and he feels nothing. He is surrounded by a bunch of human beings God forbid I cannot find the right word to describe them - who have totally misled him.
I can write this until tomorrow but the only thing we want is peace and for peace to prevail there has to be justice and fairness. Kibaki has no place in our current Kenya and he should go to P.O. Box Othaya - his home town. If you have ever been robbed then am sure you can feel my pain and desperation. We hope somebody from the international community can boldly help us get this man out of our picture by asking him to resign and stop causing us more pain. The international election observers confirmed that the exercise was flawed and therefore a re-run of the presidential elections can do us some good though am sure many Kenyans have now lost the confidence we had before.
If you would like to add your thoughts, e-mail me.
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