TIHE LOQUITUR 50 Election disrupts peace in Kenya

A country in shambles struggles to regain its order.

VICKIE PAPAGEORGE COPY EDITOR VP724@CABRINI EDU

DIANA VILARES EVENTS EDITOR DVV722@CABRINI EDU

When Robert Makunu, the Catholic Relief Services deputy HIV/AIDS unit manager, spoke to Cabrini students Nov. 27 for World AIDS Day, he said, “Come, visit Kenya.” Cabrini students, stirred by the picture of an extremely poor country nevertheless making great progress in combating HIV/AIDS and developing into one of the most stable countries in Africa, seriously considered how they could find a way to visit him and see CRS work in Kenya.

Exactly one month later, Kenya’s place as a stable democracy was shaken as the country experienced rioting after a disputed presidential election. On Dec. 27 violence erupted in a usually peaceful nation when President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner in a disputed vote count, beating out contender Raila Odinga. As a result, more than 650 people have died and approximately 220,000 were displaced due to burning, looting and marauding mobs in Nairobi and western Kenyan towns.

CRS country representative Ken MacLean spoke in a phone interview with Loquitur and said, “The height of the violence is over but there are concentrated pockets of bad violence.”

Catholic Relief Services has transitioned itself to providing emergency relief and aid on the ground for the country while attempting to maintain the numerous developmental projects they have implemented over the years.

The Children Behind Project, the community-based development program which Makunu partakes in, is among one of the projects that is in danger due to the sudden violence in Kenya.

“Kenyan hearts are bleeding, and CRS staff hearts are bleeding too,” MacLean said, in an open dialogue discussion found in the CRS blogs.

The violence began shortly after President Kibaki was declared the winner of the election. Odinga claims the vote was rigged, which triggered widespread rage and violence among the tribes in the streets of Kenya.

Thousands fled their homes to avoid the sound of violence that penetrated villages. In addition to teaching young Kenyans arithmetic and grammar, schools along with churches became safe havens before proper assistance was established.

Kenyans were subjected to living under scraps of tin sheets that once held together their homes. Businesses have been closed for weeks, and the once stable and

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