A Kenyan travel agent

We would like to update you on the current situation in our country Kenya. We bear in mind that you have been getting updates through the press. However we thought that you would like to hear from us. This is what is happening on the ground at the moment.

¨ The three political parties have agreed that there is a political problem requiring an immediate attention from all the parties. This state of affairs was everybody’s wish. The best antidote is for the three (probably all the parties who fielded presidential candidates) parties to initiate a dialogue. The ODM (Opposition Party) has kind of softened their condition for negotiations from requiring the president to publicly resign, to admitting that the electoral process of tallying the votes was flawed. President Kibaki of PNU, the supposed ruling party, issued a peace plan yesterday, confirming that he is ready for negotiations including inviting opposing parties to be part of the next government, pointing at the idea of a Government of National Unity. ODM’s reaction was, they are ready for negotiations, on condition that they are brokered by an internationally credible and friend of the Kenyan Community. African Union is a preference. America’s top most official for Africa is due in Kenya today for the same negotiations. Rev Desmond Tutu of South Africa, the laureate Nobel Prize Winner, to broker for peace is in the country and yesterday he held a meeting with ODM leaders. This morning he held a meeting with President Kibaki. We are yet to know the outcome

¨ The members of parliament – elect from both parties, ODM and PNU are in the process of forming a peace restoration forum called AMANI (peace) to initiate peace and reconciliation in the country.

¨ The major towns including Nairobi are slowly realising calm and return-to-life. In the four towns affected, namely, Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret and some parts of Mombasa, as of this morning when we spoke to friends and relatives, they confirmed marked improvement in terms of peace, businesses slowly reopening and people sleeping in their homes, a thing which was impossible due to indiscriminate attacks on homesteads witnessed in the last couple days.

¨ The effects of the violence in the affected areas, particularly the towns mentioned above are far reaching. What has happened in the last three days has left people homeless, bleeding, dead and traumatized, not to mention embittered. It is evident that Kenyans have resolved to play a part in one way or another in bringing reconciliation to the affected – we are all affected after all. The most affected are women and children. That is very sad. The burning of people in a church where they went to seek refuge was the most unfortunate thing and has left a scar in every religious faithful in the country and farther afield. Kenya being 80% practicing Christians, coupled by other religions, no doubt have been touched.

¨ On a positive note, some parts of the country, the larger Kenya, are as peaceful as ever before, but ofcos [?] extremely concerned at what they are reading or hearing about their fellow brothers and sisters.

¨ The administration has done a commendable job. Because of the fear which has gripped the citizens, businessmen have been fearful of running their businesses normally, as a result of which supply of essential services has been affected and especially to the neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. These countries have gone through what we are experiencing in this country, may be in greater magnitude, and they are faithfully praying for us.

¨ On a positive note, Tourism has not been affected as much, since violence is not targeted at the foreigners but if the situation continues, we have no doubt that there will be cancellations. All the airports are operating as normal, hotels are still busy including the beach hotels as of this morning report, game parks are as peaceful as before and where necessary, the government is providing both ground and aerial surveillance. Forecasts in the tourism arrivals indicate a very busy 2008. May the will of God be done.

¨ Questions have been raised. Was the violence entirely as a result of election results? This is because the skirmishes witnessed are characterized by, looting of property, sometimes indiscriminate killing of innocent people, including children, its happening only in just some parts of the country, targeting of some community suspected to have voted for the president… What is apparent is that, about 40% of Kenyan population is the youth and 60% of that number, even more is unemployed. During the electoral campaigns, the candidates, presidential, parliamentary and civic, spent humongous amounts of money as handouts to the youth to lure them. In other words, they were used to handouts. After the elections, two scenarios seemed to have followed. No more hand outs and in some cases their preferred candidates across the board lost, creating a polarized situation among them. Any utterances by their preferred candidates especially the defeated wings, get them charged and violent. As result, the youth have been 90% the cause of the problems.

¨ Kenyans are hopeful that the situation can be averted and they have moved swiftly to do that through prayer, offering refuge to homeless, offering humanitarian assistance and speaking and walking the peace talk. We are glad to know that you are part of this mission and thank you for your kindness. Talks and negotiations are a part of the problem solving but also important is for us to know we can be part of the solution. It is upon us to reach out to one another irrespective of ethnic inclinations, as we reflect on the words of our first stanza of out national anthem, which is a prayer O God of all creation, Bless this our land and nation. Justice be our shield and defender, May we dwell in unity, Peace and liberty. Plenty be found within our borders.