* * *
Elsewhere, continued rioting prevented the Red Cross from entering trouble spots. The man on the left is Abbas Gullet, secretary general of the Red Cross and Kenya’s Person of the Year.
* * *
A moment of disgruntled calm in the back yard of a Kibera household, the day after the first night of riots.
* * *
But moments of peace were the exception, as the slum kept burning day and night.
* * *
With Odinga refusing to accept defeat, rumours spread faster than news via SMS. At one point, word went out (falsely) that Kibaki had resigned; the main road leading out of Kibera and into Nairobi filled with thousands of fiercely joyous Odinga supporters.
* * *
But no sooner had they reached the city proper than they were turned back by the water monster.
* * *
A ghostly calm descended on Nairobi, presided over by hundreds of crack troops. In other cities across Kenya, the absence of a military presence led to widespread looting and an estimated loss of $350 million (Cdn) a day.
* * *
A fairground near Kibera became a refugee camp for the hundreds of families whose houses were burnt down. Few had time to grab anything more than their children. They had nothing to eat and no blankets until the Red Cross showed up two days later. When word got out that food had been delivered, armed hooligans tried raiding the fairgrounds but were turned back by security.
* * *
After the attack, guards would only let women and children inside the grounds. But as supplies run out once more, even these are being turned away. A crowd of well over 100 desperate young mothers had gathered at the gates when I visited, begging to be let in.
* * *
As the situation drags on, there is little to do but wait and watch the tension build, and wonder what will happen next.
Comments (18 comments)
Paul Edwards in DC: tremendously moving January 02, 2008 21:38 EST
Chris Flavelle: Amazing. Well done. January 03, 2008 16:56 EST
Zaheer Merali: Arno - excellent work, both visual and written. Having grown up in Nairobi it's desperately sad to see all of this transpire in such a wonderful place. Keep up the good work getting the word out and stay safe.
Mpaka baadaye
Z January 03, 2008 20:28 EST
Fife: Brother, Troubling times to be sure. Thank you for risking your own safety to show us what is happening there. Please help us understand why the people are burning down their own neighborhoods?? Is it due to tribal inclinations or more like a hunger strike?? Who are those wielding machetes hoping to attack?? Thank you again and may God keep you safe. January 04, 2008 01:25 EST
Ryan: I lived in that slum for a month this summer, good picture. Kibera truly is one of the most violent places I have seen the 1.5 million people aren't being allowed to leave, no food is going in, they are starving... January 04, 2008 10:20 EST
Rich Gelder: Is there not anywhere in Africa safe from such political corruption and violence? January 04, 2008 10:24 EST
Kashmira: Hey Arno,
It really hurts me to see how the fairly peaceful and beautiful country has slid into violence to become a 'mini-Rwanda'. But then again, didn't everyone see this coming?
Congratulations on your brilliant writing and photography. I can see that you are not far from becoming a good photographer too.
Kashmira
January 05, 2008 04:27 EST
Alexander Eichener: Kashmira: damning with faint praise, ahh? ;-) The pics are excellent, certainly above the usual CNN junk that sets the standards in the USofA. For additional comparison, I suggest a look at the Kenyan photoblog of Joseph Karoki:
http://josephkaroki.wordpress.com/
Alexander January 07, 2008 03:56 EST
el Jefe Justo: AK.
It is hard for me to imagine what Anarchy looks like in reality, yet your words and photos help piece together the destruction of what seemed to be one of Africa's more stable countries.
"Where there are mobs, there are tire fires." is my favourite quote. It helps to add humour to this desperate situation.
Why are these desperatly poor people looting, robbing and generally upset at this election gone wrong? I think we know, and its about time to stop greed and corruption for good. January 07, 2008 11:01 EST
Dan McRae: Arno,
Fantastic reporting. You put it simple and straight amidst a sheer nightmare. Big kudos to the photography here. I could not begin to imagine the tension. Where are the superheros of good for Africa? January 09, 2008 20:37 EST
Gab.: If leaders run the government for the sake of positions and not for taking care of their people or citizens and lead them to the better future, then I think they will be no hope for all the people at all.Leaders need to be honest and sincere with their citizens and give hope, freedom, and security for as human beings. I do not know why leaders do not use their common sense and wisdom given them by God to do good.
Misused your gifts will be huge punishments.My payers and thoughts will be with people of kenya. God be with all
Gabriel January 10, 2008 09:26 EST
Anonymous: Brilliant incisive photography of our chaotic democracy, elly January 11, 2008 02:51 EST
Anonymous: More info on the situation from bloggers:
http://eugenecho.wordpress.com/2008/01/11/ii-the-word-of-kenyans/
January 11, 2008 08:50 EST
Stephanie Olsen: Arno-Amazing work old friend! Keep safe. January 18, 2008 11:11 EST
Donald Knight: Breathtaking! Please keep safe. I can't help but also wonder, as did Rich Gelder above, whether this corruption is an African thing. Having been raised in South Africa, I try not to think in this racialist way, but it becomes difficult. Also I find the indiscriminate destruction of what little some people have unfathomable. January 26, 2008 00:08 EST
Dave Taylor: I lived in Limuru, and worked in the Mathare valley several years ago. The Kikuyu and other tribes lived there peacefully. I was shocked at the level of hatred and violence I have witnessed in the last few months. Politicians must put aside their petty differences in favour of lasting peace, otherwise kenya will never be the same. February 13, 2008 13:00 EST
BMJ Muriithi: I loved your article in the Kenyan paper- Daily Nation- (about the high-profile personalities that visited Kenya following the crisis) published on March 1st 2008. It was factual, well written and highly humorous. You are a great writer. I am a Kenyan journalist living in the US and I must say..that article truly made my day. Keep it up. PS. Please drop me a line if you can spare some time. I would like to know more about you. March 01, 2008 06:15 EST
Olmo Calvo Rodríguez: Hello, my name is Olmo Calvo and I´m photo editor of a spanish news paper: DIAGONAL www.diagonalperiodico.net
We are a non-profit-making newspaper. We cannot pay the collaborations, but if you might we can send you some copies. You us might yield an image to illustrate an article of Kenya elections?. Thank you very much and a greeting from Madrid. March 02, 2008 07:54 EST