The Journal of Wycliffe Wekesa
24th Jan night, 25th Jan morning
How sad and horrific the last night was (Thursday night). It was a sleepless night, a night filled with distraction and painful killings, estates were brought to Ashes and valuables were destroyed. These are house people living under poverty. They live on hand to mouth/ sometimes it takes days without eating, having anything for their stomach. These are the people suffering under the brutal and unmerciful young men.
About 200 to 500 young men ganged to terrorize people last night. They burned houses properties and killed animals. To be certain only in one estate (estimated area of 100m x 100m) more than 50 families live together. Selectively houses were clearly brought by razing fire people spend the whole chilly night outside helplessly watching their only home and properties extinct. The situation was atrocious.
25th Jan — the day of action
As I write tears flows freely, my heart pains, painful as more lives were claimed last night. Walking outside even at day-light it’s impossible, right now is 12 noon and shooting is on, shots of guns have occupied the air of Nakuru. It is the forth largest city in Kenya and now residents of Nakuru have nothing but running for their dear lives. At about 10am. A police fire extinguisher have been brought to ashes by the imperative youth, whose only ambition is commanded by people in
At 10am parents were worried of their children who reported to school this morning and I’m receiving calls from them every single minute passing by. They wanted me to assure them of their safety about students in number turned up for their normal studies and unfortunately their teachers most of them had run for their dear lives seeking elsewhere of which am not specifically aware.
5pm in the school library
How hard has been for me to write this note? This dangerous story from Kenya. The day have been filled with cries of helpless Nakuru people who had had their lives turned into bitterness for no one, NO ONE, NO ONE, NO ONE is aware of what is really going on. I myself have been in somber mood all day long seeing Army choppers flying the skies of Nakuru implanting more fear in people’s only lives they have. The town has been confounded with total [paralysis]. Another estate was burned this morning at around 10 am. This was at the presence of police officers well armed and watching without taking any action. Why didn’t they act to stop it? Why? Why and why are the police who are in charge of law and order maintenance, seeing it kept by the all civilian instead standing and doing nothing? Before the eyes of the police officers about 200 young men set an estate ablaze.
Politicians are the course of this disrespect of the law of the Land. They put pressure on the government that no criminal should be shot by the police even if his own live is in jeopardy. The youth have taken advantage of no shooting order to instigate more obliteration and killings. At Gilanis estate a young man confronted police officers demanding to be shot by the police, of which rabble-rousing other gang members to attack the police because of the no-to-shoot-order to the police. One officer had to take a quick response by shooting the young man dead as the bunch of criminals were now approaching to overpower the police. This did scare the mob to clear place.
Ponda Mali Estate area
It is one of the most affected areas in Nakuru Town, situated south west. It’s about 3 kilometers from the town center. It’s compactly populated; this was the central field of battle that had rocked Nakuru. On 25th Jan 2008, from 5am- 7pm it was packed with war, massacre and destruction. A grade seven boy from school was scythe by opposing sides, an innocent boy’s life put to an end without consideration of the tomorrow Kenya. The name of a primary barred the tribe of the boy and the side that did as well.
This day alone, more lives were claimed, bodies lying in cold blood scattered all over, the roads.
Media coverage
Nothing positively has [been] exposed by the media, I mean, [nothing]; not anything on the ground had been given out as exactly it replicates. It was a no go zone by any living creature that have senses, breath and know. But the Police the gangs and death. To be sincere, people died, people were killed, people displaced, people are crying. Tears flows down my cheeks as I keep on reflecting the scenario of the genocide that is tearing a part the beautiful Nakuru and the Kenya you have ever heard.
No camera people on the site no reporters dared to be their as it was hell. Why didn’t they go there? Were they denied an opportunity to collect data from the scene? NO. Who dares to go the place like that where fire from hell falling on the ground and consuming everybody? Were scared? May be! But am not – in no doubt of anything. Better to live till tomorrow than requesting your own death by approaching death with your camera and employment tag.
Briefly people who were killed on this very day are estimated to be 100 and more, this from only Ponda area. This was not the only place where gangs are fighting. Area like Githima, Gilanis, Mwariki, Langalanga, Ronda, sewage, Free area, Keratin, freehold, London Kati, just but mentioned places in Nakuru. No one has account of the really thing. Gun shots were the living sound all over Nakuru town I didn’t have a sleep; I had to take charge of our places security. If anything I had to be the first person to inform others in readiness of any terror.
25th-26th Jan night
The night was filled with pain where people have lost of their relatives. They ran for refuge in the Municipal Stadium, chief camps, and police line/ residential areas. They spend cold nights in the open places they had tried to find safe haven. In particular places there is no supply of food and fresh water to drink. It’s gruesome, horrendous and sickening. Most of these places are crammed with women and children. What a shocking night.
26th Jan day
The morning was welcomed with explosion of guns heard from different places of Nakuru town. Morning fighting was the order of the day; more houses were razed by fire set by the arsonist. More homicide as combating sides had taken the center stage. Additional in number were dead bodies in Marko, Panda Mali, were scattered all over these estates. Again no media coverage made an effort of reaching to these places to unfold the reality on ground.
The death as a result of the skirmish augmented tallying to 100 and above. I went to Panda Mali to see exactly the incident, the findings was clearly genocide. I wish I had an opportunity to be given audience with the person revitalizing the mêlée. A boda boda driver (a bicycle taxi man) was ambushed cut in to pieces and his passenger who tried to escape was overpowered and put death excruciatingly. I left the site bleeding with agony, going back w[a]ndering on the streets of Nakuru not being aware of the surrounding. Crying in disbelieve, tears flowed freely, sincerely I have never permitted myself to give in to tears. But this was beyond, unbearable. Live[s] put to an end by terror gangs of innocent people.
26th-27th Jan night
Gunshots were [heard] from here and there. Undesirable night it was despite the curfew imposed to the residents of Nakuru most of the gang managed to terrorize Kimathi, flamingo, estates.
27th Jan morning
Intolerable morning started with more fresh at Ronda Ng’ambo unlike the night, well organized individuals engaged in battle. These was the most fearcy and unheard off. The police had now come in fighting. Shooting to kill and disperse them, the lawless young men.
As traditional, Sundays are given every noble concern that most people do worship. Churches could be jammed by worshippers, who come for their spiritual nourishment, believe not some churches were even opened or no opportunity was given to the faithful ones. I was lucky to attend the normal service in our church, but outside in the mentioned areas was real. Though the Army officers had shown their presence in the town and some affected areas, nothing could stop killings. Mungiki had been on rampage mercilessly killing the Luos and Kalenjins were also fighting.
Kenya Army
We are lucky, Nakuru was lucky [as] the planned and organized gang could have swept the entire town. The soldiers, at 2pm used choppers to shoot the mungiki gang now dominated the fight. They killing people, either you support them or you are their enemy. This let to the intervention of the army. Though late, action taken by the army it saved and protected many in loosing their properties and lives. This also had added more casualties on the death list of the dead.
The rule of law, the rule of law has been neglected by our politicians. The freedom of speech is worst; politicians recklessly address their followers not in view of the impact they will course to people.
Am lucky to have friend like you and lucky to get encouragement from you dear friend thank for your help. Shortage of essential commodities has toppled the live of the Nakuru people. Even now I cannot afford to get the basic wants, as I write now my colleagues have been displaced and tomorrow is not in my vocabulary. Nothing is as bad as the devil that brought these skirmishes.
Thank you,
Wycliffe
NB: I have been on night guard since Friday, as we don’t know of our guard who’s not reported since then. His where about, we don’t know, as well as his fate.
