John Oywa
5 January 2008
Nairobi — For the past five days the country has experienced its worst dark days in its 44-year independence history. More than 300 Kenyans have died and property worth billions of shillings destroyed.
Thousands have been displaced while others have fled to Uganda and Tanzania. Food has become scarce and some people are on the verge of starvation. Towns and some slums have been under an unofficial curfew as anti riot police cordon off some areas in an attempt to contain the countrywide chaos.
It was a long, painful and bloody week in Nyanza. The anxiety of producing the country's Fourth President turned into tears; destruction and deaths after President Kibaki reclaimed State House, following a disputed presidential election.
In one of the most violent protests in history, wananchi looted shops, burnt Government buildings, leaving the provincial capital, Kisumu, on its knees.
By the time of going to press, Kisumu, popularly known as Kenya's Bombay, due to its high population of Asians literally smelt of smoke.
When the first round of skirmishes ended at 6pm on December 29, the Central Business District lay flat, with investments worth billions of shillings either looted dry or burnt.
Business analysts say it would take up to five years to rebuild the town that was just recovering from years of industrial slump. Major companies like the Kisumu Cotton Mills and Kenya Breweries (Kisumu) branch had collapsed.
"Kisumu has suffered a huge set back. The riots have taken us more than 20 years back," says Mr Jacob Omoga, a businessman. He adds: "The worst part of it is that many members of the Asian community, whose businesses were destroyed, have left the country and I doubt whether they will return."
Omoga says Kisumu's economy is literally driven by the Asian community and their departure to Uganda, Tanzania, India and Europe spells doom.
More than 100 people have been killed across the province, as police broke up the riots. Provincial Hospital mortuary was overflowing with bodies piling.
When guns temporarily fell silent on Friday, residents came out of their houses to witness what remained of their town. And it was unbelievable.
Most parts of the town resembled a medieval town. Hitherto magnificent buildings were in ruins with scattered vehicles still smouldering in smoke.
It all started on Saturday, December 29, after it became clear the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) was poised to declare President Kibaki the winner of the presidential polls, despite massive fraud.
Irate Kisumu residents stormed the city, screaming anti-ECK and President Kibaki slogans.
Opportunists took their chance and unprecedented looting and destruction of property began.
At first, the police stayed away and allowed looters to carry home whatever they could grab. It was a scene reminiscent of the 1982-attempted coup in Nairobi. When the police made a belated attempt to fight the mob, two tear gas canisters landed inside the looted Ukwala Supermarket, setting it a blaze.
A second canister, hit a hardware store, exploding into a ball of fire.
"Many of the shops that were looted could have survived had the police intervened properly, without throwing explosives. It is difficult to understand why the police kept away," says Mr Sunil Patel, a trader whose hardware shop was destroyed.
The thugs also broke into the National Bank in Kisumu, but could not access the strong room.
They stormed the Swan Centre Shopping Complex along Oginga Odinga Road and stole thousands of mobile phones handsets and other electronic goods. Similar riots broke out in Homa Bay, Migori, Kuria, Oyugis, Kendu Bay, Siaya, Bondo and Mbita.
The province had earlier in the week witnessed violence after residents attacked a group of Administration policemen, allegedly meant to disrupt the elections. Mobs killed three officers.
The post-election violence has quickly plunged Kisumu into a humanitarian crisis.
Thousands of people fled their houses because they allegedly supported President Kibaki.
Many are camping at police stations without food and water. The town has ran out of food as shops that survived looting remained closed for fear of fresh attacks. Danger lurked in the streets and in the estates as families starved. Worried women searched for food, oblivious of renewed violence.
A few youths, braving the food crisis, still engaged the police in running battles. Gunshots rent the air day and night. The town is limping from an orgy of lawlessness.
Business people are counting losses running into millions. One airline has suspended flights, citing insecurity and public transport has ground to a halt.
Roads to and from Kisumu have been barricaded with boulders and telephone booths.
The protesters demanded money from motorists before allowing them past roadblocks.
From loss of lives, serious injuries to wanton looting and destruction of property, the town is no longer the same. Late this week, Kisumu and other towns stared starvation. For a province that imports over 80 per cent of its food requirements, the blocking of the highways has been a severe blow.
Kibuye and Jubilee public markets were deserted and the few traders selling foodstuff have tripled the prices. Five leaves of sukuma wiki (kale) were retailing at Sh20, while a kilo of meat had risen to Sh300, up from Sh140. A loaf of bread previously selling at Sh23 was going at Sh40. "It has been hell. I have survived just by the grace of God. My three children have sometimes slept hungry," says Ms Martha Aoko, a resident of Manyatta slum.
Public transport has been paralysed due to illegal roadblocks and acute shortage of fuel. Some petrol stations have been vandalised and fuel tanks destroyed.
A power blackout has worsened the situation in most parts of the town since the chaos started. Kenya Power and Lighting Company officials say some transformers were burnt during the riots.
Without electricity, food and roads, Kisumu is on the brink of a catastrophe.
Pockets of smoke, billowing from burnt vehicles and buildings, have replaced the fine breeze from Lake Victoria. The Ministry of Roads and Public Works lost money, road maintenance machinery, vehicles and vital documents when rioters burned its offices in Rachuonyo and Homa Bay districts.
Government officials say the destruction could stall road maintenance operations for a long time.
Also counting loses, is the Ministry of Water and Irrigation whose headquarters was burnt along several vehicles. The offices housed the Lake Victoria South Water Services Board that oversees water supplies in Nyanza and parts of Rift valley. This may affect the completion of a Sh2 billion France-sponsored Kisumu water supply expansion project.
Also burnt at the Ministry headquarters is a Jica-sponsored water and flood control project.
The Lake Basin Development Authority's Sh145 million rice mill at Kibos was also attacked and more than 300 bales of rice looted. The authority also lost office equipment and several vehicles.
The crisis was touched off as anxious voters waited for the results of the December 27 General Election. When the results were announced on Sunday against massive dispute, hell broke lose after ECK declared President Kibaki re-elected.
Rioters, chanting ODM slogans, torched everything on site and targeted premises of perceived political enemies.
Today, a dark ominous cloud hung over the whole of Nyanza and the question is just for how long? They are also asking, where is justice?
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