Kenya Post-Election Updates

Please Note: newer updates can be found here.

Update (Jan. 28, 10:00 PM Central time USA): The situation in Kibera continues to be up and down. Hostility towards Kikuyus is a big problem for Mama Margaret. Violence flares up in different parts of Kenya each day. To get some sense of the havoc, you may be interested in a collection of images a blogger has collected the past month. Most are quite graphic and difficult to take, so please be warned, but they do serve to demonstrate the severity of the situation. Please click here to visit the blog.

Gangs of Luos have come by the school a few times and demanded to see the headteacher. Fortunately, Mama Margaret was away on business each time. Teacher Karen, a Luo, has tried to get the thugs to leave the school alone by claiming to be the school director, but they seem to know or suspect that the school is run by a Kikuyu.

During the past week, Margaret has stayed home a few of the days when it was too dangerous, as well as traveling to the hospital and a potential school on behalf of Shadrack. However, Karen and Tenderfeet's new teacher, Lydia, have been doing a great job keeping the school running in Margaret's absence. Lydia taught at Tenderfeet a few years back, and was glad to return this year. Today, 29 students attended. The picture was taken last week during a peaceful day at school

Meanwhile, Frank has been assisting the families in the community with funds made possible through the Kenya Emergency packs. Some of the Kikuyu families are facing a difficult decision whether to return to Kibera or relocate. Unfortunately, relocation means possibly higher rent and educational costs. Currently, most of them are staying at the Jamhuri showgrounds. These include the families of Esther Nyambura, Alex Nduati, Boaz Osebe, Collins Mutunga, Moses Mirigi, and Faith Kaluki.

Update (Jan. 19, 10:00 PM Central time USA): The demonstrations Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday caused more violence and turmoil, though not to the extent of those immediately following the elections.

In Eldoret, the situation is very difficult for the minority Kikuyu families in the slum of Munyaka. They are a target for tribal hostility and violence from thugs in surrounding Nandi communities.

Lahash is coordinating the relocation of 22 children (some of whom are pictured below). Two children were relocated this past week. Most of them are quite young, and will be accompanied by guardians. During the past few weeks, these children have missed meals and slept outside. Their families are now seeking to transport the children to more peaceful areas of Kenya, where they will stay with relatives and family friends.

It will be a great blessing for the children to be in safer situations, where food and security are assured. This relocation effort would be impossible without the generous donations to the Emergency Fund. Our deepest thanks to the wonderful donors!



In Nairobi, Mama Margaret has relocated to Riruta, an area that's a 30 minute walk from Tenderfeet. She will ride the bus in every day to teach at the school, but because there is so much animosity towards Margaret's Kikuyu tribe in Luo-dominated Kibera, it's not wise for her to live in the community any more.

The school was closed Wednesday-Friday since it was not safe in Kibera due to the violence associated with election demonstrations. Several people were killed in Kibera, including some shot by police. Nevertheless, Raila Odinga has announced that he will not call for further demonstrations for the time being, so Kibera is expected to be more stable in the coming week. Mama Margaret is planning to open the school on Monday, though she says no vehicles will risk passing through the area. Therefore, she will walk to school until the buses start running again.

Update (Jan. 15, 12:00 PM Central time USA): Tenderfeet opened for the new year yesterday, with eight children showing up. The enrollment should be 60 children when things return to normal, and Mama Margaret expects all the children to eventually return as time goes on.

There was a half-day of school today as Parliament met for the first day under the current administration. Demonstrations are supposed to start tomorrow (not Tuesday, as mentioned in the previous update).

School will be closed the rest of the week because it's expected to be potentially dangerous in Kibera. Mama Margaret (a Kikuyu) tells me that leaflets had been spread through Kibera promising that all Kikuyus would be killed. So tribal tensions remain high despite the relative calm of the last week. Many diplomats and foreign dignataries are pressuring the Kenyan leaders to reconcile, so let us hope and pray that progress will be made.

Update (Jan. 12, 10:00 PM Central time USA): School is still on track to start Monday at Tenderfeet. Because of planned demonstrations Tuesday, the school will be opened only in the morning on Tuesday. We are hoping and praying that these demonstrations won't lead to more waves of violence.

Mama Margaret reports that they have managed to contact more and more of the families of Tenderfeet students. So far, all are OK, though many are facing challenges getting back on their feet. Thanks to donors who have been making a difference through emergency packs, a great deal of suffering has been avoided.

Lucy and her family have relocated from Eldoret to Nyahururu. They have been scrambling to find a school for her as well as her younger sister Shiro. Because of Lucy's medical situation, extra challenges are involved. I was relieved to hear her father tell me today that they believe they have found a school with teachers that understand her special needs because Lucy was in tears at the thought of leaving the Eldo-Excel school which had been so supportive and positive.

Some sad news is that Mama Edna's home in Ilula (near Eldoret) was burned down. I visited this little house in the country and from trees in their orchard we picked fruit for needy children. Edna and her husband had clearly put years of effort into fixing up their small farm. After tirelessly serving the community all this time, she is now left homeless. Her family will have to start over, like so many victims of this terrible period.

Update (Jan. 9, 4:00 PM Central time USA): Tensions remain high, but peace has returned for the most part to Kibera and Eldoret. Now the focus has shifted to dealing with the aftermath of the elections.

Mama Margaret is gearing up for school to start next Monday. She will pick up another wire transfer tomorrow, including funds for the school and funds donated as Emergency Packs. For instance, three of the families that lost their homes will receive rent assistance in getting started in new residences. The rent will be $15 per month, which is a lot for a family that has lost everything.

In Eldoret, the minority Kikuyu people in the slum of Munyaka continue to evacuate the area when possible, relocating to safer areas in other parts of the country. Thousands of those unable or unwilling to relocate are remaining in secure areas near churches and the police department.

Update (Jan. 7, 3:00 PM Central time USA): Great news for peace: the planned demonstrations have been called off by the opposition leadership. Negotiations are taking place and perhaps there is hope for a lasting solution.

Mama Margaret said she plans to open the school next Monday, January 14. When I asked her "is this too soon?" she laughed and said it is too late. I asked her which students would be able to show up and would it be safe for her.

Margaret said she doesn't know which would be able to make it, but she wants the school to be available to those that can. She also said she thinks it will be safe because most of the students are Luo.

I received a heartbreaking email from Jane Waithaka today, who is the director of Lucy's school in Munyaka (outside of Eldoret). She reports on the struggles of the children and innocent people in the slums during this time of unrest and the dangers she herself has faced trying to flee tribal violence.

Jane is safe for the time being in her parent's home in the countryside, but asks for our prayers and support for the children of the slums who are now suffering without food or shelter. The picture below is Jane (in the denim jacket) holding an orphaned child in a church compound in Munyaka.


Update (Jan. 6, 4:00 PM Central time USA): The situation in Eldoret and Nairobi has remained calm for the time being, though more demonstrations are planned for next week. There has been little progress on reconciliation. We are hoping that we are seeing the last of the violence, and not the calm before another storm.

Nick in Eldoret, and Frank and Mama Margaret in Kibera have all found new homes. It is no longer safe for Nick or Margaret to remain in their old homes because of the tribal tensions and possibility of violence, and Frank's place was burned down. Frank has lost pretty much everything he owned, including the new eyeglasses he had recently been fitted with.

All three are relocating to more secure areas that are nearby where they used to live, but much safer.

Many families are now homeless and with very limited access to food and supplies. The U.N. is attempting to provide relief, but it's hit-or-miss for any given family whether they will receive help.

Two wire transfers were picked up yesterday, one by Mama Margaret in Kibera, and one by Nick in Eldoret. The emergency packs have been distributed and are an answered prayer to many desperate people who are now able to eat. Thank you so much for the generous donations. It's not to late to make a difference -- in fact, in many ways the hard part is just beginning for some that have lost everything. Please click here to provide an emergency pack to a family in need.

Update (Jan. 5, 10:00 AM Pacific time USA): We were able to get some initial donations into the hands of Margaret and Nick to help the community. The UN estimates that hundreds of thousands need food at this time with 10,000 camped around the Catholic Church in Eldoret alone.
Margaret sent some photos of Kibera after the riots. She reports gratitude that she, her family, and all of the teachers are safe. Three families whose children attend Tenderfeet had their homes burned down.
The looted housing finance office opposite the the African Inland Church.

The burned out Luthern church in Olympic.

Displaced families in Kianda village.

Container looted and burned on the road.

Update (Jan. 4, 11:30 AM Central time USA): In Nairobi, tensions remain extremely high, though there were no large outbreaks of violence.

Putting herself at personal risk, Mama Margaret was able to evacuate home and school items though it was very difficult. There were no trucks available, so she had to hire carts to move everything. It was an exhausting and nerve-wracking day.

In Eldoret, there is also relative calm, though tensions are high there as well. Nick was unable to pick up the wire transfer sent for helping families in Eldoret. Unfortunately, the only bank that handles MoneyGram transfers is closed indefinitely. We will retry the transfer again through WesternUnion and he should be able to get it tomorrow. He reports that many families have gone days without food.

Our deepest thanks to the donors who have sponsored emergency packs. Your assistance will mean families in desperate situations have food to eat and supplies to live on. If you are interested in making a difference, please click here.

Please note: you can find previous updates here.