Different ways of expressing your anger towards the crisis in Kenya today

There are some Kenyans who are not angry about the election results, and I do not share their feelings.

Some of us are angry, and have different ways of expressing that anger.

There are questions about what is an appropriate way of expressing your anger in this situation.

1.Signing up for petitions about the crisis.

2.Reporting acts of violence on Ushahidi.

3. If you are a youth the only way in which you may feel empowered is by going out and causing havoc, as you have nothing to lose, as you live in the slums, are jobless and educated.

4. Going onto sites like Mashada as a troll, or Kumekucha and expressing hate.

5. Setting up your own blog like D, Joseph, Gerald, Jac to express yourself.

6. Internalising your anger, and doing nothing.

7. Setting up initiatives.

8. Considering going to court to seek justice (sigh).

9. Funding militia groups to kill innocent Kenyans.

That is all that I could come up with at the moment.

Feel free to share what you feel Kenyans are doing, and what you feel is appropriate.

There are Kenyans out there who are trying to do everything in their power to try and get the country back on track.

I think that whatever we do, we need to think about the consequences of our actions.

Ugandan troops in Kisumu rumour or fact

I had heard the rumours last week, but there seemed to be an official denial that Ugandan troops were in Nyanza province.

Raila said Ugandan president Museveni has called him thrice denying there were Ugandan soldiers in Kenya. "Museveni was at pains to explain that his soldiers are not here. He asked me to clarify the issue to the Kenyan people."
Even as Museveni denied this, the rumour of Ugandan soldiers killing civilians in western Kenya remained strong

Quotes from A nation at crossroads by Ben Agina and Museme Machuka of the East African Standard.

I read this article this afternoon and it seems that there still remains anti Ugandan feelings in Kisumu.

What I find interesting is that Shabir Shakeel, MP and former mayor of Kisumu confirms the rumour but says he does not believe they were Ugandan soldiers. However the victims who were wounded by their bullets are saying something else.

The plot thickens.

Update 13/01Related article: Alarm over alleged presence of Ugandan troops.

Posing questions that do not go away to the Mwai Kibaki mindset

Mwai Emilio Stanley Kibaki,

Could you please smell the kahawa(coffee)?

I was puzzled by your announcement of the first half of the cabinet yesterday. I was not suprised, as to date your behaviour has been consistent.

Do you have any idea how your actions are being interpreted by some Kenyan people?

I interpreted your announcement yesterday, as total disregard for the Kenyan people. I was of the understanding that you were prepared for peace talks on Friday. Your announcement yesterday has spoilt the reconciliation bid.

I have a problem with your mantra kazi iendelea(work must go on). Most Kenyans have been traumatised, and I feel that your announcement yesterday, demonstrates to me that you do not give a monkey's about the Kenyan people.

Do you not realise that in your role as president, you are required to put your own needs aside, and the needs of the national interest first?

Mwai Kibaki, I am sorry to tell you, this is not all about you. You have a duty of care to the Kenyan people.

I understand that the honour of your whole family may depend on you staying in power. However, I feel that line of thinking is now out of date. The lives of the Kenyan people are at stake. I have heard that you are only concerned about your own people. Whether oaths were taken in Mt Kenya or not is irrelevant.

Are you aware of how many Kikuyu people have died in the past week?

These people are innocent victims, who have had these atrocities inflicted on them, because you decide that you cannot and will not leave state house.

I feel that you are attempting to block out part of what the Kenyan people are saying in the hope that things will be alright.

Could you please tell me what your understanding of alright is?

My feeling is that the Kenyan people are feeling betrayed and robbed, and have great difficulty trusting you. I believe your role is to win back the trust of your voters. By standing defiant you have no way of achieving this, in my view.

I acknowledge that you are in charge right now, and have chosen to rule Kenya by any means necessary. However, I feel that it is not useful to impose a knee- jerk set of rules, with the state that our country is in. I appreciate that this may be the Kibaki way of doing things, but I believe that it is detrimental for the Kenyan people. The past week illustrates the results of your actions.

Please take a few minutes to look at the powerful images on Joseph Karoki's blog, which tell the story.

I believe that you need to ask yourself whether you are able to have a collaborative relationship with the Kenyan people?

My understanding is that collaborative relationships are characterised by commitment, and cooperation.

Are your intentions to continue to rape the Kenyan people in order to maintain power?

Some Kenyan people are feeling psychologically, and physically traumatised by the events of last week.

Judith Lewis Herman says that

in rape, the purpose of the attack is precisely to demonstrate contempt for the victim's autonomy and dignity.

A negative response to people who have been raped compounds the damage, and aggravates the traumatic syndrome.

I believe the riots and killings in Kenya in the past week, are the only way that some people can express their humiliated rage.

I feel it is essential that you acknowledge the reality of the Kenyan people, and take steps to change it, by taking action to foster recovery.

Can you stop causing more harm to the Kenyan people?

I ask that you reflect on whether you posess these qualities that are essential for leadership honesty, integrity, sincerity, respect, competence, and fairness.

Mwai Emilio Stanley Kibaki, in your role as president, (rigged), you have a duty of care to the Kenyan people.

Why I am in a state of constant Wasi wasi

I have decided to start this blog, because since December 30th 2007, my life and the life of most Kenyans took a massive turn. I have been inundated with calls and emails from friends , relatives outside Kenya, and colleagues, to check on the situation in Kenya. I find that I am giving daily updates to everyone, relaying the same information daily, and it will be easier to use the blog as an information source.


As things began to unfold, I spent hours surfing the world wide web looking for information. I am so grateful to all the Kenyan bloggers(some of whom are on my sidebar) out there, who are posting. It has been invaluable to me, to read what is happening from people on the ground. I was saddened to read yesterday that some Kenyan bloggers feel that they have to restrict what they say, as they have been told it would be considered incitement. I understand the strong feelings on some of the blogs, as people are angry, and hurt, and unable to debate in a respectful manner.


I tend to stay out of politics , as I am disillusioned by what goes on. However, I was waiting patiently for the results of the election, as I wanted a change for Kenya. I was so moved by the reports that I received of the numbers of people who had gone out in droves to vote. The Kenyan people were making a statement



I have to confess I am a pessimist, and didn't believe that Raila Odinga, the leader of the opposition Orange Democratic party would ever become President. I didn't believe the process would be democratic, and I was proved right. I kept on ringing my folks to check whether the results were out, and could not understand the delay. Something was cooking, and I felt very uncomfortable.




The results were announced, and Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner by Samuel Kiviutu the electoral commission chairman.


I knew the results would not be taken lightly by some of the Kenyan population. I was right. Things started to kick off because the election was stolen.

We have Samuel Kiviuitu admitting that he was under pressure to announce the results.He claims that he wanted to resign before the announcement, but did not want to be called a coward. When he was asked whether Emilio Stanley Kibaki won the election, he claimed he did not know. It is his responsibility to know, and yet he announced the results without knowing, which had a disastrous effect.

The question that keeps on arising for me, is who can the Kenyan people trust?


They were not listened to, were cheated, and ignored. That has had a knock on effect. It was inevitable. Numerous innocent lives have been lost as a result.


Things just spiralled with killings, looting, and mayhem, all over the country these photos(by Joseph Karoki) here and here tell the story.



My heart goes out to all the innocent people who lost their lives. It is unforgiveable.


I sit and think about what sparked this all off, and did not expect this type of carnage to happen in any way. Kenya moved back in time, in a space of a few days. People were unable to leave their houses, as it was unsafe. Some people had their houses broken into or burned down, by angry gangs. There are huge numbers of Kenyans now who are homeless, and displaced as a result of the violence. Kenyans have not worked for a number of days, some Kenyans have not eaten for a number of days, it goes on and on, and on.


I read Silaha's post on what history says, and it sent chills up my spine.


An interesting piece by Binyavanga Wainaina, on the threat of speaking in his mother tongue, while he is in Lamu.


I read Mad Kenyan woman's post and she raises a very important point, what the hell do we say to the children about what has happened. My goddaughter is nine years old, and is glued to the TV whenever she hears the word Kenya. I had hoped to take her home next year, for her first time. Her mother has had the task of explaining what democracy means to her, and also explaining why Kenya is in the state it is in now. They are Afro Carribean, but born in the UK, and the whole thing is mind boggling to them.


There are several ways that you can help by signing this petition, contacting the Red Cross. There are a lot of people out there who want peace and reconciliation.


I have picked up today that there are talks to form a unity government, and pressure grows on Kibaki to hold talks, as divisions within his own community emerge.


My life has changed, as I am calling Kenya several times a day, in a constant state of Wasiwasi, not knowing what will happen next. Every single Kenyan is affected by this, and those who are celebrating, will realise one day, that nobody has won anything.


The healing will take time, as deep rooted tensions have been awakened. The Kenyan people are moving through different phases of grieving, anger, shock, denial and bargaining.



I hope and pray that Kenya can move forward.