“We have decided as a government that people should go back where they were evicted from.”
President Mwai Kibaki has apparently “decided” that Kenyans displaced as a result of December’s election mayhem should return to their homes. Yet realizing this statement is for many a matter of life or death. Kenya’s political turbulence in the last few months have given rise to ethnic conflicts similar to those in other African countries and at a time when two estranged political leaders of different tribes are forced to work together, their people are less willing to force friendships.
The rival leaders have agreed to share power: with Odinga taking the new post of Prime Minister and Mwai Kibaki taking the role of president. Yet despite this deal, there are still remaining power struggles, including the question of how to divide Cabinet positions between the two parties. While they peripherally represent collaboration in politics, the two individuals are continuing to fuel ethnic conflicts by being unable to solve them.
Within the last four months, Kenya has lost approximately $1 billion because of the continued violence, largely due to the severe lack of tourism. At present, 157,000 Kenyans remain displaced as a result of the violence; many refuse to return to their homes for fear of continued ethnic violence, others because of the memories of death and dying that the survivors witnessed. In a place where even the police are threatened, peace and calm seem, at best, at a distance.
"It is better that I become a beggar in Nairobi than to go back to my farm and see the people who killed my children.” -Hblitzarun Mwangi, 52, displaced Kenyan
1 comment:
Uh Oh, a Prime Minister and a President...this can't be good. The first quote is kind of funny and sad at the same time. (Oh you have a little typo in the title of the blog) GREAT POST! It's going to be interesting to see who is going to control what? Prime Minister or President...hmm only time can tell.
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