Back to Nairobi !!!!

Trouble in paradise

 

Pictured above is my close friend Grace. For a couple years now we've been taking in movies and concerts and on the occasion captured above, another fun fun fun Canadian Embassy party. Grace is unfailingly thoughtful and productive. Running her own business practicing law, she is always on the go and ridiculously cheerful. I really admire Grace as much for her attitude as for her considerable success in her field. I just got an invite to join her for an Israeli wine and chocolate party... why not Grace ??? That sounds terrific!!!

So Nairobi Kenya is a lot of fun. Good people like Grace and many others I have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing make it a veritable social and practical paradise. I have tried to meet and know Kenyans to see the world as they do and appreciate the unique character of this magical place. But there's trouble here. First - the upcoming re-election (there was one a couple weeks ago that was annulled) is troubling indeed. A constant and nagging reality is the violence of 2007 that no one wants a repeat of.






At that time a conservatively estimated 1200 people died with many others wounded. Or do they I wonder? The politicking is dirty in a way that my North American sensibilities a can barely understand. Nothing is "off the table" with both campaigns (Jubilee and NASA) in a no holds barred grudge match more about powers sake that the responsibility to help the people of this country. In the picture alongside, we see the two leaders facing off looking every bit as menacing  as Mayweather and McGregor pictured above.  But it's much worse than an MMA / Boxing entertainment fight. The respective campaigns have been marred by violent tactics up to and including death and assassination. As of late - the mood has changed for the worse. For the first time in the campaign we are seeing both sides flexing their muscles and spoiling for a fight. I am very concerned about the possibility for violence and wish this paradise would remain as it is.

 Nothing has brought home to me the realities of the dark and ugly underbelly of this country than the recent discovery I had regarding a close friend. We had met a couple years ago and became close. So when she suddenly stopped communicating I was surprised and maybe a little hurt.  I wasn't sure what I had done or said to interrupt our connection but it was clear that she didn't wish to stay in touch.

When we finally reconnected after about 5 months I convinced her to join me for a drink. I prepared to give her supreme hell on her significant and not well appreciated friendship delinquency. The story she told me was of such heinous and horrific detail that I sobbed that day and a number of others. She was brave enough to give me permission to share her story.

On her way home from work she took a ride with a boda boda (motorcycle) as she usually did. But when the driver took her in the wrong direction she protested and asked to be let off. He pulled to the roadside and attacked her viciously telling her that this will go easier if she cooperates. Confused, crying and frightened she sat not knowing what to do. Setting off once again on the motorcycle she decided that jumping off the fast moving vehicle would be the best option reasoning that something awful was about to happen and the injuries from jumping off would be the lesser evil. But when she tried to jump  --- he caught her and pulled again to the side of the road. This time he showed a gun and beat her again.

After some time they arrived at an abandoned building where 3 other men were waiting. Over the next 4 hours she was beaten severely and raped repeatedly. In the end cellophane over her mouth and tied to a chair - she was left bleeding heavily to die alone. Somehow she managed to slip the ropes and make her way to a nearby home where an old woman helped her to the hospital.

Since that day she has had to deal with the physical damage, the psychological damage and the 5 month old fetus now within her young body. Perhaps adding insult to injury, she spotted one of the perpetrators weeks later and he was arrested. The likelihood of prosecution is slim indeed although there are a number of persons now "watching"the process to try and ensure conviction.

But in a land where loyalties and responsibilities are sold to the highest bidder and traded like fucking sports cards, a fair election and justice for this woman are commodities traded without compassion or consequence for the perpetrators.

Since learning of the event I continue to ask the question; how is it that men can behave this way? These 4 men are simply fucking animals who should be exterminated with prejudice. They do not deserve our compassion, our sympathy or our good grace. I ask - humbly - that you support measures being taken for eradicate gender based sexual violence as the costs are just too great for us to bear.

Thanks for reading....Layno!!