NEWS?

TUESDAY, 29TH JANUARY

 

BURNING OF PROPERTY has continued all day around Eldoret.    We have been able to see the smoke from our compound.     One of our teacher's brother was killed just ten kilometers away at a road block!     Through the day reports of various outbreaks have gone on.     This is VERY depressing.

TODAY'S DAILY NATION reports on Annan's Peace Plan -

 WAY OUT OF CHAOS

• End the violence
• Solve the disputed Presidential election results
• Correct the unequal distribution of resources

TERMS OF REFERENCE

• Recognise the Annan Team as mediators
• Commit rival parties to the mediation process and its outcome
• Each team to name three negotiators and a liaison officer.

This was apparently agreed to this afternoon by all parties.

 

HOWEVER it is said that Mr. Odinga later stated that - 'for the fighting to end totally the elections dispute must be resolved'.     This is political blackmail, and it is also misleading since the fighting and violence is definitely no longer credited with being purely politically based.

ANOTHER virtually unprofitable day.      MORE talk and pictures of showing our leaders nonchalantly standing/sitting around apparently unphased by the the terrible situation all around them.      Is it that they hope if they delay long enough more of the 'undesirable's will be killed?

 

I do not think there can be a political answer.    I think that this entire situation has been planned and orchestrated long in advance of the Election.    STRONG action is still needed - and this opinion is AGAINST foreign opinion which continues to say the Government should tone down the Police and Army response to open riot and murder!       I wonder, for example, what the American Senators who seem to be against strong arm tactics in Kenya, would do if faced with the same scenes and provocation if it happened in the USA.

 

This morning an Opposition was shot dead outside his house.    Although there seems no reason why it should have been anything but a personally brought about murder,  Mr. Odinga has immediately called it an 'assassination organised by the Government to instill fear into the Opposition.       This is just another instance of stirring up the population to further antagonism.

 

800 dead already?    Perhaps many more than that.     And it happened almost overnight.

 

ELDORET remains silent generally EXCEPT for the perimeter where the burnings and killings continue.    The Police and the Army tend to stay in the Town Centre - not much security for those living outside - including us (although so far the attackers seem to be sticking to the poorest parts of the town)

The Municipal and District Authorities remain almost totally silent AND invisible making the whole town area feel almost bereft of all security.     We can look for nowhere for direction or protection.      Not so bad for US, but for the many who have no God and no Faith, it is utterly nerve wracking.

 

WE GOT UP for our early prayer time with staff and had a WONDERFUL time of Praise, and were much lifted up and encouraged.     The day passed and our work aims completed - even though reports were continuing reaching us of disturbances on different sides of the Town.        Daryl was in town mid morning visiting our Auditor.    He found him not in the Office and his clerks huddled at the window looking at the street below, fearful that riot might start any minute as groups of unemployed gathered together ominously.    Daryl came home rather quickly.     There is very real apprehension everywhere still.

 

NOT A VERY ENCOURAGING PICTURE ONCE AGAIN.

Annan says we are head for 'anarchy'     It feels as if it is here already.

Hard to think Kenya will every FEEL the same as it did, for decades........

TRUST of one's neighbour has been lost in a moment - after 40 years of Nation Building.           The idea of ONE NATION HAS CRASHED, as we now see the 66 federated tribes thought to be welded together, flying apart and returning to their origins without any kind of restraint, Christian or otherwise.     England was colonised by Rome for more than 300 years, and THEN it still took another 400 years until Alfred began unification and unity of the NATION.     We should take note.       An old Latin proverb says 'Hurry Slowly'!    Good advice.

 

God be with you, and keep you praying.     Politics may not solve any of this but PRAYER CAN.

 

John and Esther

 

 

• Resolve the land question in the country