It is sad that such an ugly event happened in our lifetime.
I was doing some part time job at a town in North Rift as a tutor.
Nlienda home, voted and traveled back to my place of work.
The North Rift was ODM damu then. I even wonder why ODM still accuse North Rift natives as tribal while in actual fact, they voted for RAT to the last man.
The first few days after voting were restive, keeping in mind that there rumors of plans to rig by PNU.
Kivuitu (RIP) didn’t help matters by insinuating that the results were being cooked.
On 30th December, everyone was gloomy, but the events that followed the swearing in of Kibaki on Live TV triggered events that I had never seen in my entire life. As if on cue, there were screams all over the neighborhood and houses went up in flames. There were gunshots all over. Luckily, I never saw anyone who had been killed.
Protests continued for a few more days, with all of us holed in our houses. Hakuna scratch card, maziwa, sukari,… basically everyday items were missing form the few shops that were open.
Then Naivasha happened. Gory pictures were being beamed by Al-Jazeera. It was chaotic.
Things started cooling down a week later. Shortly thereafter, a local councillor was arrested on suspicion of planning attacks against PNU supporters. The locals were mad. I hadn’t appreciated the magnitude of the ‘madness’ of the local populace. Mimi huyo kwa kibanda cha Jug Daniels, kukata kiu ya wiki nzima. Kidogo kidogo, naskia marisasi na teargas ikaanza on the other side of town. Kumbe majamaa walienda kudemonstrate police station! Since nilikuwa peripherals za town, nikarelax nikisip kinywaji kiasi comfortable in the knowledge that stress haitafika kwenye niko. A while later, askari walikuwa wamesukuma watu hadi mahali tulikuwa. I only remember seeing a teargas canister flying overhead in slow motion. Adrenaline kicked in. Kuna barbed wire fence niliruka na hata saa hii, I find it incredibly unbelievable that I could jump that high. This was about 6pm.
Ran as fast as I could in a zig zag manner (at the back of mind ati nihepe copper :D:D:D…). Kuruka fence ya pili, nikaland na side. Kumbe spine kidogo ilipata impact, but I didn’t feel it then. Had to run for like five kilometres, afraid that bado nafuatwa. Nikaingia vichochoro vingine sipajui. Needless to say, I got lost in the wilderness. To make matters worse, my back had become painful. Yaani pain hadi unatetemeka… Terrain ilikuwa mteremko. Combine fatigue, darkness, terrain and pain and you will realize I was in real trouble. Saa hizo, it was past 7pm. Simu za torch hazikuwa, na battery ya simu ilikuwa inaenda kuisha (ferk Motorolla C118!). Hata light ilikuwa blue anyway. By God’s grace, I get to the nearest road. Fortunately, someone sympathised with me and helped me walk to my cousin’s house. I arrived at around 8:30pm. He was with his friend. The look on their faces quickly turned from relief to horror, as they realized how bad my shape was. I was in so much pain, hadi kukohoa kidogo, natapika, then getting choked by matapiko (remember Jug Daniels?).
Nikalala kwa bed without supper and in great pain. Usiku, I had to be turned literally. Kufikia morning, Nkaenda hosi. Fortunately, there wasn’t any serious issue, nikapewa painkillers. Kutoka hiyo siku, mahali kuna promise ya teargas, I always make sure I stay as far away as possible.