Nairobi — The violence that has hit Kericho following the disputed presidential elections has been described as one of the worst to rock the region.

Thousands have fled the area in the past two weeks.

According to a Catholic priest, eight churches have been closed due to the violence. Most of the closed churches are in the tea estates. Fr Paddy Hyland says the violence was worse than what the country experienced in 1992.

"There was concerted effort to remove some communities from certain areas for good," said the Irish-born priest.

"The major problem facing the country now is reconciliation. Getting the victims' confidence back will not be an easy task," he said. When the violence broke out on December 29 in the area, there was no one to run to, he says. More than 30,000 people were ejected from their homes and everything reduced to ashes.

Close to 6,000 people sought refuge at Kericho police station while another 20,000 camped outside the district commissioner's compound.

An estimated 2,000 took shelter at St Mary's Catholic Church where Fr Hyland lives. According to the priest, most of them were business people whose houses were razed a few metres from the church compound.

The families did not salvage any property during the arson attack. The priest's main concern was to settle young children and their mothers.

Five women gave birth at the church compound. "All the babies were born without complications although it was very hard for their mothers. The roads were impassable and there was no one to attend to them," he said.

Later the priest sought assistance from his friends who provided food and blankets for the victims.

"The biggest problem was food. We had very little here and something had to be done," he said. In two days alone, about 40 trucks ferried displaced families from Kericho to Gusii. Most of them worked in tea estates.

Some employers were searching for more lorries to ferry their workers "back home".

Others boarded buses and left the area escorted by police. The priest says those still at the church have nowhere to go and would stay there until calm returns.

On arrival in Nyamira District, some families stayed with their relatives while others camped at churches.

"If voting was the reason we are targeted, then I would rather we forget having elections. I am happy that the voter's card was among those things I lost," said Mrs Peris Kerubo.

"There was no time to salvage anything from the house. We only came to find out which child was missing when we arrived at the church," she says.