shocking
written by korkie , March 04, 2008

Eldoret helldoret, what happened there is one thing i would like to forget fast, but i just cant. sad. and having just read a witness account report of who planned it,how it was carried out and their reason behind it is just horrendous. GOD BLESS KENYA

re: shocking
written by Kenyan , March 04, 2008

Eldoret helldoret, what happened there is one thing i would like to forget fast, but i just cant. sad. and having just read a witness account report of who planned it,how it was carried out and their reason behind it is just horrendous. GOD BLESS KENYA

Korkie, could you please provide some more information? Please give us the details of who planned this, etc. Its better to be informed. Thanks.

Mois heart break
written by Kim G , March 04, 2008

Wherever Daniel arap Moi is now, I can feel his pain. He spent 24 years turning Eldoret into a modern city so that his people, the Kalenjin, can grow rich from it.

For much of the 1990s, Eldoret was probably the fastest growing town in Kenya. Moi directed that all parastatals and government departments put up branches in Eldoret. The Central Bank put up a branch in Eldoret, there was an Inland Container Depot, an oil storage depot, a university as well as the largest hospital in the Western part of Kenya. Military barracks were erected. Roads were built across difficult terrain. A power station at Turkwell was constructed to provide reliable power to the town and its sorroundings. Eldoret was the site of East Africas first armaments factory. The feather to the cap, as we all know, was the Eldoret International Airport.

Now, his people have rejected him. They have burnt his farms, and told him to take away his development. The bridges that he built have been blown up and the hotels he put up resemble ghost villages. Though theres a chance that Eldoret could rise up again, it will be a long time before investors gain enough confidence to settle in the area.

Now you see why I feel the pain of Moi.

...
written by benadede , March 04, 2008

I cannot and will never feel pain for Moi who is one of the major causes of Kenya's problems. Let us feel pain for the IDPs, the people who lost their lives, their relatives and their property. Also, I feel sorry for all the youth who took part in the violence for they know not what they are doing unlike their political masters.

The Youth
written by James Machria , March 04, 2008

I cannot and will never feel pain for Moi who is one of the major causes of Kenya's problems. Let us feel pain for the IDPs, the people who lost their lives, their relatives and their property. Also, I feel sorry for all the youth who took part in the violence for they know not what they are doing unlike their political masters.

Why do you want to absolve them of blame? Isn't each and every man and woman equipped with a conscience? I'm sure they knew what they were doing.

...
written by benadede , March 04, 2008

I am not aboslving them, I have said I feel sorry for them. They thought they were doing what is good for their community and that they would benefit but the truth is that if there are any beneficiaries of the violence it is the ones who are able to go and holiday in Mombasa and not them!

re:benadede
written by Msenangu , March 04, 2008

I am not aboslving them, I have said I feel sorry for them. They thought they were doing what is good for their community and that they would benefit but the truth is that if there are any beneficiaries of the violence it is the ones who are able to go and holiday in Mombasa and not them!

Well said! Hear Hear!

And if I can just add to it, also receiving 4 limos and the security firm is scrambling to get more..... If that was all that was needed why did he not just say so before folks died for no reason. I would have driven him the limo myself!

Moral Conscience
written by Peacemaker , March 04, 2008

The absence of a moral conscience in humans is not a pitying matter; it should scare and anger you. Even my 6 yr olds know that murder is not only wrong but sinful. These bloodthirsty savages must be fully prosecuted! Did you hear what happened yesterday around Mt Elgon? A whole Luhya or Bukusu family of 13, including 4 kids were beheaded or shot then burnt to death by SDLF militia. These crimes should be considered terrorist attacks and perpetrators executed! Otherwise Kenyans will know no peace.

Can somebody on the ground in Kenya (or anywhere else) please help me understand why the government wasn't and still doesn't seem able to control the violence in the RV? These savages seem to be taking this a notch higher, emboldened by the longterm impunity they enjoy. I have noticed that RV MPs are attempting to intervene and are requesting suspects be released. Politicians are involved and trying to save themselves. You haven't heard further cries for that Uasin Gishu businessman who is in, right? Raila and Ruto cried foul unaware that the guy was on record talking to BBC. Many are on record as they freely and arrogantly relived their murderous rampage.

Politicians must not be allowed to manipulate the judicial process they claim is already tainted or nonfuntional. Kenyans need justice and salvation from these savages. They may have helped politicians advance their political agenda, but justice must prevail. They should not be allowed to remain above the law. It should be no wonder if they start killing to settle any score -- why not, they have been getting away with massacres(for decades since the '90s) !!!

...
written by Isindu Mwangaza , March 05, 2008

The violence visited in Eldoret must never again define our difference. I must add Nakuru & especially Naivasha to that list.

The Police Force
written by James Macharia , March 05, 2008

The absence of a moral conscience in humans is not a pitying matter; it should scare and anger you. Even my 6 yr olds know that murder is not only wrong but sinful. These bloodthirsty savages must be fully prosecuted! Did you hear what happened yesterday around Mt Elgon? A whole Luhya or Bukusu family of 13, including 4 kids were beheaded or shot then burnt to death by SDLF militia. These crimes should be considered terrorist attacks and perpetrators executed! Otherwise Kenyans will know no peace.

Can somebody on the ground in Kenya (or anywhere else) please help me understand why the government wasn't and still doesn't seem able to control the violence in the RV? These savages seem to be taking this a notch higher, emboldened by the longterm impunity they enjoy. I have noticed that RV MPs are attempting to intervene and are requesting suspects be released. Politicians are involved and trying to save themselves. You haven't heard further cries for that Uasin Gishu businessman who is in, right? Raila and Ruto cried foul unaware that the guy was on record talking to BBC. Many are on record as they freely and arrogantly relived their murderous rampage.

Politicians must not be allowed to manipulate the judicial process they claim is already tainted or nonfuntional. Kenyans need justice and salvation from these savages. They may have helped politicians advance their political agenda, but justice must prevail. They should not be allowed to remain above the law. It should be no wonder if they start killing to settle any score -- why not, they have been getting away with massacres(for decades since the '90s) !!!

If you read the nation on Monday or so, you'd know why. Our police force is highly understaffed. About 1 cop for every 1100 of the population. The UN recommends 1 cop for every 400 people. They total about 34k. By my estimation we should have a force of 120k. 100k regular and 20k GSU, which would be a highly mobile unit. Each major town in Kenya needs at least 2k cops stationed, who have to be ethnically balanced in their composition. Nairobi needs about 10k and Mombasa and Kisumu as major centres 5k each. Lastly if we want these people to protect us, we have to start paying them well, while at the same time clamping down on corruption. We also have to equip them well. On top of that there are ethnic fault lines in the force and finally I suspect that they are highly underpaid and thus not that much motivated.

The Police Force
written by James Macharia , March 05, 2008

To add to that, can you imagine that Eldy just has 150 cops stationed there? That's according to that nation article. Thats a ratio of 1 cop for every 2000 people! The attackers were coming by some accounts of up to 4000 people. The big question is how this youth wee managing to organize such huge numbers. It's population is about 300k. No wonder they were so overrun.