When elephants fight, the grass suffers
Aidan Hartley says that the violence in Kenya reflects the failure of the political class: better paid than their European counterparts in a nation where many live on 50p a day
As I write this, the crackle of gunfire is audible from the veranda of our farmhouse. Warriors of the Pokot and Samburu are fighting a mile away. A bushfire engulfs the horizon. I hear the tally in blood so far is three Samburu warriors killed, and the Pokot have rustled 750 cattle.
Today I hope our farm and the people who live here will be spared the violence. They were not on Boxing Day, the eve of Kenya’s elections, when Samburu rustlers armed with AK-47s hit our place and made off with 22 steers. That afternoon the police were unable to respond as they were busy guarding ballot boxes. Our neighbours rushed to help instead, and my friend Charles saved our cattle by bravely charging his car at the raiders in a hail of bullets. The raiders ran for it.
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Diana Ngila
February 9th, 2008 10:50amI agree Hartley. We do need a miracle. It's been over a month and we still have anxiety over the political climate and ethnicity that has taken over our hearts. I hope they reach a political settlement soon and work at building the country though you and I both know they work at building their bank accounts and material wealth. The article is as real as it gets. Very real and very raw.