Hi people, I hope you are all well ,ok and safe where you are. i think Dennis gave you a slight glimple of what happened to me and my family. we are now displaced me and my family from home. i live in nakuru at teachers estate. on 25th at ten in the morning I was still volunteering my services at the Red Cross as a disaster manager evacuating displaced individuals to
one the stadium when I was called home by my younger sister Edna.

 

I did leave work and headed home immediately.while on the way near home I met young boys approximately aged 14 -21 years manning the roads and putting road blocks. i was given safe passage after talking to them and also because of wearing the red cross jacket. i did approach the house and entered the compound,about 400 young people known as "mungiki"
were in there.

 

I was directed to the leaders who were 4.  2 of them were well dressed and the other 2 shaggly dressed. i did introduce myself but they knew me well enough as if they had stayed with me. we started talking and discussing politics though  by then I was
so tense seeing death with my very own eyes.  i did talk about peace efforts headed by Mr. Annan and a little of what I knew. i did also talk to them to release my brothers, my sister and her 2 kids, and my nephew. they were released and given safe passage to town though war erupted on the way to town and they were given safety in one the estates until yesterday when we were given police escort out though we paid for it.

 

As I was talking to them one of the neighbours Mr.Gathuo well known as Baba Kate came.  his appearance brought tension and slight stubbornness from the youths because he was seen as a betrayer of their tribe, because he was Kikuyu, helping me a luo. we were able to talk to them and calm them down talking to them about peace and development at the point as young people.  i was allowed to get important documents and what I needed.  i got all the documents and I was not allowed to take any other things not even clothes but just a bag full of documents.

 

We tried negotiating with the leaders not to burn the house citing the issue of peace that is being negotiated by the political leaders. i was able to also show them some peace tile messages that I had made by some kids and they seemed to have softened their stand on burning the house. we chatted still but with the leaders only trying not to mention ethnicity but that emerged as the main factor why they were displacing us and wanting to burn the house.  we negotiated also for them not to kill, burn and harm other individuals in the estate who were  not of their ethnic background.

 

They agreed about the suggestion and promised to tell them to pack before today Monday. we continued talking about the house and we had to pay them Kshs.36,000, approximated $ 530 for them to stop burning. we talked about the peace process and the youth power and the choices we make and the influence.  they raised issue of innocent killings of people of their tribe,children and women being raped thus making them vulnerable to infection of HIV and STIs.

After talking with them for about 1 hour they forced me to leave as they were pouring fuel on the servant quarters to burn. i left the place under escort of about 100 youths to the road. i came home as a housed person and left displaced.  well I was feeling so low and down but I said a silent prayer to them and their families asking God to help them and guide their thoughts.

Yesterday morning the neighbour called me to tell me they did not burn the house but left and now they are asking for Kshs.75,000, approximated $1100, as protection fee to the house and the properties inside before Tuesday 29th 5pm Kenyan time. well am trying to get in touch with the leaders again and try and talk with them. i have been able through the peace talks to
help evacuate over 106 families and singles about 340 peacefully through negotiations.

I have talked with the District commissioner and the police about the issue but they are reluctant about it, saying that will not be the first and only house to be burned. I want to leave the office and head up to the estate and try talk to the leaders of the group about the protection fee and not burning the house, and peace. i have been in contact through mobile phone calling and honestly I would like to seek assistance of phone credit to be able to call families and individuals who are still stuck in the area and to help get loved ones to collect them.

 

This is an experience that I never thought I would pass through but I have known that one needs courage and good negotiation skills to help.  I am now housed in the Orthodox Church with other families who are seeking assistance like me for protection. am now trying to get finances to shift my family to Nairobi where there is better security but passing one of the towns naivasha for luos is heading straight to death, I think some of you saw the killings in the television.

 

Or we get to kisumu and book flights which is slightly costly. The police honestly cannot and are not able to give protection to innocent kenyans, please help us tell the government to fully accept that and call the army in full force. I ask all of you to have courage and face issues if peace has to come to Kenya.

I want to seek help from the press about the extortion of such groups and the goverment being silent and doing nothing. You can call me at +254-722-240-088.  Thanks for your support!