Letter from Kitale, Kenya

Dec 31, 2007

Dear Family and Friends,

 

We are not sure how much news anyone has of the election and the situation here in Kenya.  We are asking you to please pray for Kenya to be restored to peace.  We will update you on what is happening here.

 

As for Kenya's election - yes, Kibaki stole the election - in fact, we watched it on TV - it was done on national news and now the country is in chaos - rioting in many of the cities. We have the GSU (General Security Unit-the red caps) here in Kitale, we heard gun shots last night over towards town, Kisumu town is on fire - Eldoret, Kakamega, Nakuru, Magori, Kericho, Kisii, Mombasa and along the coast and of course all throughout Nairobi - Mathare, Kibera, Embakasi, Keriobangi, Eastleigh slums all having riots. Transportation is shut down, stores are closed all over - this was as of last night.  Even the news broadcasting of the chaos the government shut down to try to "restore the peace".   The last we heard last night, Riala Odinga went on the air to say that he and his people are setting up a "parallel government" in Kenya - whatever that means for the country???

 

What happened with the election -  at each polling station when the count was finished all the agents signed a report form called a 16A form. Then that official form and all the other papers were to be taken to Nairobi to the ECK (Electoral Commission) to be used to announced the tally on the news.  Well, on national TV, when the ECK chairman read some of the "very late results", Riala's team realized the numbers had been changed and they produced original copies of the 16A for those polling stations that were different than the ones received and announced by the ECK - then a man who was hired by the ECK to receive the 16A forms and tally them came forward on national TV to admit to seeing those forms that were "altered" - he said that he went to his superior and when they wouldn't correct the situation, he left his job because he knew it wasn't right.  Everyone went wild in KICC where the ECK were announcing from, and the "GSU red caps" came in put everyone out of the KICC compound. Then within 10 minutes they announced Kibaki the winner by 230 thousand votes and that was that.  Everyone here in Kenya knows that the election was rigged so Kibaki could win. It is very, very sad.

 

We have been staying here on the compound - on Saturday we went in town quickly to purchase a few needed things and as soon as we left there was some serious fighting between the Kikuyu and the Luya and one person killed - the stores all closed down and everyone rushed out of town - then the GSU moved in - we haven't been in town since and we sure won't be able to go in for a few more days.

 

Please pray for the situation here and for our continued safety as we "ride this out". 

 

In HIS Service,

Joe and Nancy

 

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