Post from 3rd January

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Post from 4th February

Posted 3rd January

You will certainly have heard about the trouble in Kenya following the recent election and thought you would appreciate an update.

Sadly the worst affected area appears to be Nyanza and specifically Kisumu although towns across the country have been in flames. The larger scale concerns for the country are about the descent into ethnic and potential civil war. There have been many attacks already on Kikuyus by Luos (and vice-versa) including a very bad one in Eldoret and in Kisumu there have been similar reports. Whether Kibaki will give way/be ousted by political means remains to be seen. If not, the coming weeks could be very bloody indeed.

Meanwhile the streets of Kisumu are very ugly. There is a 1800-0600 curfew in place, many buildings are still burning, the supermarkets have all been looted or destroyed except for Nakumart, the water has been cut off and the mortuaries are full of dead victims mostly of police shootings but also of gang violence and ethnic beatings. Port Florence Hospital ran out of food yesterday and the Kikuyu medical staff have had to flee but supplies have managed to get through and the staff are managing as best as they can. The Vima kids have got enough food until thursday. We are organising for a delivery of food to them before they run out and will make provisions to ensure their safety. The projects and children in Kochogo and Ombeyi are ok but Ahero by all accounts looks like a refugee camp with people fleeing from town. The street kids remain a big concern as HOVIC itself in the middle of town is in the middle of a battle field and therefore inaccesible. And because the kids have been targetted by the police who are shooting to kill - if we try to round them up for the purpose of food/protection we are likely to put them at greater risk.

These are indeed worrying and sad times. But we intend to stand in full support of our friends and projects in Kisumu. We are in very regular phone communication and along with our colleagues, partners and friends we will take all possible steps to help in securing the safety and wellbeing of people there. We are still intending to go to Kisumu in 2 weeks' time and should be able to update you fully then.

In the meantime we will keep hoping..