Peter Mutai
26 January 2008
Nairobi — Thirty-Two people were killed in fresh flare-up in Nakuru and Molo. And Rift Valley's capital was put on 7pm-6am curfew. Military officers in fatigues, and armed to the teeth, were brought out of the barracks to enforce law and order. Another 5,000 people were displaced in Nakuru and adjoining areas.
In Molo 20 people were killed and two guns recovered when rival groups engaged in fierce battle in By-Gum area in Sirikwa on Thursday night.
That was the sordid picture of gloom and desperation, the nasty game of guns, pangas and arrows that took shape as international mediation effort widened its scope.
Former UN Secretary General Mr Kofi Annan who on Thursday brought President Kibaki and Orange Democratic Movement leader, Mr Raila Odinga, was again working round the clock.
The African Union chosen mediator and the group of eminent persons, and who has the support of the global family through the European Union, the US and the UN, was to meet retired President Moi. But the meeting was moved to Saturday.
He also, in pushing for what he called the short and long term solution to the post-election violence that pushed Kenya to the precipice, also met Nobel Peace laureate, Prof Wangari Maathai, Electoral Commission chairman Mr Samuel Kivuitu and religious leaders.
Nakuru, which had been spared the turmoil, sparked by the disputed outcome of the December 27 presidential elections, erupted on Friday.
The Government deployed military personnel from Lanet barracks to contain the violence that sent terror across Nakuru, turning it into a ghost town. Businesses closed and residents fled the streets.
In Nakuru town alone, 12 people were hacked to death or shot with bows and arrows in the Thursday night terror. This followed a serious fighting in Githima and Kwa Rhonda estates next to the sprawling Kaptembwo slums.
Of the 20 killed in Molo, 18 were shot with poisoned arrows during the 10pm incident. But Molo OCPD Mr Litabalia Acheza disputed the figures, saying he had only counted three bodies.
"I counted three bodies but if there is some other information we shall let you know later in the day," he told The Saturday Standard.
A police officer, who took part in collecting the bodies, was categorical 18 youths had died from arrow wounds. The slain youths had run into the trap from rival groups after they crossed over to Sirikwa area from Molo town.
Face-to-face with attackers
The police officer, who was at the scene of the bloody killing, said the dead were on a revenge mission and had attempted to flee after they came face-to-face with the attackers.
"We are at the moment collecting bodies of those killed and we had to fire several times in the air to stop youths who had regrouped to patrol the area," the source added.
The source said among the recovered guns was a G3 riffle and a homemade gun, which the raiders took away.
In the Nakuru combat armed youths from two rival communities engaged the police in running battles in the night-long terror that saw several houses in Githima estate burnt and property worth millions destroyed.
When The Saturday Standard visited the estate, hundreds of families were fleeing to safe grounds for fear of being attacked as the fighting spread.
Police picked three bodies by the roadside along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway with panga cuts on the head.
One more person was hacked to death barely 300m from where Nakuru DC Mr Andrew Wanyagah was addressing a peace meeting, outside Githima estate.
The DC had hectic time controlling the angry youths from the warring communities who were baying for each other's blood. Police struggled to clear a section of the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway that had been barricaded.
Angry youths who were armed with pangas lit born fires at Kolen bus stage near Total Junction and blocked the road with huge logs and stones.
Gunfire rent the air for the better part of Thursday night and Friday as police dispersed youths who attempted to regroup and unleash terror on their neighbours.
The Reverend Richard Nato of African Faith Gospel Church said he witnessed three people being killed during the night of terror in Githima.
"The problem started at around midnight near Githima estate after the youths clashed before setting on fire houses," he said at the scene.
Nato said six other people who sustained panga cuts and others shot with arrows were taken to hospital.
A resident, Mr Joseph Kamau accused the police of failing to respond to the distress call by the residents on time, saying the attackers moved from house to house setting them on fire.
"We had to flee to Eveready junction along the Nakuru-Eldoret Highway for safety after the raiders burnt our houses and shooting at us with bows and arrows," he said.
"Fighting could have been averted if the police had acted fast since we informed them of the impending raid," he added.
At the main Nakuru bus terminus, a trader who was supplying beans to the local market was stoned to death. Another one was hacked to death near the bus top named Kalenjin Airport.
In another incident in Molo, two people were killed by a mob in Mauche area along the Njoro-Mau Narok road on Thursday night.
Molo DC, Mr Mohamud Salim, spent the better part of the day addressing the two warring groups, asking them to uphold peace. But tension continued to spread to other estates.
In Nakuru, Wanyagah led a security team backed by military personnel from Lanet barracks, as he toured Kaptembwa slums calling for peace.
"This problem has been fuelled by rumours circulating among local communities. We have received reports that members of the Mungiki gang and armed militiamen have been transported to the town to cause mayhem," he said.
Following the violence, angry youths barricaded all roads leading in and out of Nakuru town for the better part of the day as police made frantic efforts to clear the highway.
The youths erected an illegal roadblock along the Nakuru-Nairobi highway near Pipeline and were inspecting vehicles plying the route.
Motorist plying the Eldama-Ravine-Mogotio road were not spared by the violence as armed youths stoned them near Speedy petrol station, London estate.
During the violence, a fire engine belonging to the Municipal Council of Nakuru was set on fire near Eveready factory.
Rift Valley PC Hassan Noor Hassan said the restriction of movements of persons would continue until calm returns.
"Restriction of movements of persons in Nakuru town and its environs has been imposed and will take effect from 7pm to 6am," said the PC, in a statement issued by Rift Valley Deputy Provincial Information officer Mr Wafula Wasula.
He said the ban on night movements would be enforced in Kaptembwa, Githima, Shaburb, Ronda, and Pondamali estates and surrounding areas.
The PC warned residents against violating the ban, saying those found loitering would be arrested.
The province has borne the brunt of violence, with thousands of people being displaced in Molo, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Bomet, Kipkelion, Eldama Ravine, Trans Nzoia, and Baringo districts.
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sory madm its a high time for you to sort out your activities in other peoples region.pliz tell kibaki that it is a high time for cockroches to leave rift valley,nyanza,western,coastand nairobi plus north eastern
Tell Raila Odinga that Kenya is not a country of slaves, or a colony of Britain or France.
Supporting Odinga to Kill the Kikuyu people is not going to bring peace to the once-stable country of Kenya.
Muwanjiku