Even as Kenyans face the rapidly increasing incident of crime that is threatening to make life in Kenya unbearable, this writer yesterday made a shocking discovery. There are some very serious crimes taking place in Nairobi virtually daily that go unreported for unexplained reasons.
Here we are referring to the carjackings of matatus. What makes matters worse is that a vast majority of these matatu carjackings end up in the rape of all women passengers. This is very serious. Yet you will never see any news of these incidents that take place almost daily in Nairobi these days. Not a word in the daily newspapers. No hint on radio or TV.
But why?
Talking to several Nairobi residents last night, one told this writer that in the last month alone he has heard of at least 10 carjackings that took place in Nairobi where all the women passengers were raped! This was just unbelievable and so several more Nairobians were interviewed who all confirmed and repeated more or less what the first person whom this writer talked to said.
The reports came from many different matatu routes all over the city, namely Dandora, Umoja, Thika Road and so on. The result is that for a long time now Nairobians have been getting into matatus and not being sure if they will get home safely.
The pattern in these terrible matatu crimes has been fairly consistent. The carjackers board the vehicle and sit strategically with one at the front, close to the driver and two or more at the back with the rest of the passengers. When the vehicle gets to an appropriately lonely stretch of the road. One of the carjackers still posing as a commuter will ask the driver to stop the vehicle so that they get off. The moment the Matatu stops, the gang will usually show their guns and take control of the matatu which is then driven off the main road to some deserted stretch of road. There the passengers will be robbed of cash, valuables and mobile phones. They will also be asked to strip naked and the thugs will then gather all their clothing in one heap to escape with, so as to prevent them raising the alarm too quickly and before the gang has made good their escape. It is at this moment that the carjackers will rape the women passengers of the vehicle at gunpoint. Quite often they will use condoms but on many other occasions, they will not.
In one chilling encounter that took place in a matatu that was bound for Nyeri but which was carjacked not far after Karatina, the carjackers ordered male passengers to have sex with the female passengers in the matatu at gun point. One can imagine what could have happened to some poor Kenyan who happened to be traveling with their daughter, wife or mother.
Why do these terrible heinous crimes go unreported? Why is this information kept away from the public? To stop widespread panic? To help create the impression that crime is under control? As it is Nairobians and indeed many Kenyans are hardly fooled.
Any serious fight against crime must start with the truth and a true and accurate analysis of the state of affairs. Do we not have a government in Kenya? And if we do have one, is it powerless to protect the lives, property and dignity of Kenyans? Or is this government just good at calling press conferences, spreading propaganda and convincing Kenyans that blatant lies are actually the truth?
Rape Victim who was married at the time recounts matatu hijack drama that changed her life.
Read this awesome African lion safari tale of an unlikely match at the Samburu Game Reserve. Meet also some of the people capable of giving you an unforgettable African safari holiday in Kenya.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Thank You Charity Ngilu, For Telling Us The Truth
Yesterday members of the press caught up with Health minister Charity Ngilu as she was leaving a joint press conference she had just had with Livestock cabinet colleague, Joseph Munyao over the Rift Valley Fever disaster.
A journalist asked the rather attractive Minister whether it was true that Kibaki made a solemn vow to serve only for one term. Ngilu did not mince her words. She said that the President did in fact make such a vow to colleagues in her hearing. She however quickly added that he had a right to change his mind if he felt that circumstances had changed since he made his promise.
She then ruled out the possibility of her joining Narc Kenya. "That is DP and they cannot pretend to be anything else." Ngilu was referring to the Kikuyu party known as Democratic Party of Kenya which president Kibaki launched in Mombasa the day he resigned his health ministry portfolio in the Moi government on Christmas day 1991. Ngilu added that she was talking to various political parties in the hope of reviving a strong Narc alliance ahead of the forthcoming general elections. She even invited the president to join the alliance in his bid for re-election.
These cheeky remarks are Ngilu's trademark and the iron lady of Kenyan politics who still holds the distinction of being the only woman to stand for the highest office in the land (Wangari Mathai withdrew from the presidential race in the same year at the eleventh hour and did not even win the Tetu parliamentary seat in that election—1997) used those remarks to confirm the truth to Kenyans in a subtle but very effective way. This was much more convincing than the malicious statements full of emotion issued by the likes of Raila Odinga. Ngilu just stated the facts and even defended the right of the president to change his mind.
So why did President Kibaki have to lie to Kenyans and the world? Why did he not just say that he had changed his mind about seeking a second term because in his view circumstances were now different? If the president could tell a lie over such a minor issue where the truth would have done just as well, what else has he lied to Kenyans about in the four years of this administration which has limped from one crisis to another? Could Anglo Leasing be in the list of lies that he has told? That scandal which the president's supporters do not want mentioned and get very upset when the name of John Githongo comes up. Why do we want to pretend that it never happened?
From the support that the president is enjoying so far, it is clear that he is a Kikuyu candidate. Is the Kikuyu community telling us that they do not mind sending a liar back to State house as long as he is one of their own? Does Kenya not deserve better? It is rapidly emerging that even Raila will not do because of various broken promises of his own (see earlier articles in this blog).
This blog will continue to push for a fresh start where Kenyans should elect 210 fresh new faces that have never been to parliament before, even for the presidency. It is the only chance we have to truly get the genuine change we seek. Oh and about lack of experience, surely we can do without the sort of experience we have been voting to parliament. Namely experience in looting public funds, experience in lying without blinking and in experience in breaking promises and shattering dreams. For better or for worse Kenyans should try something totally new and different this time round.
Read this awesome African lion safari tale of an unlikely match at the Samburu Game Reserve. Meet also some of the people capable of giving you an unforgettable African safari holiday in Kenya.
A journalist asked the rather attractive Minister whether it was true that Kibaki made a solemn vow to serve only for one term. Ngilu did not mince her words. She said that the President did in fact make such a vow to colleagues in her hearing. She however quickly added that he had a right to change his mind if he felt that circumstances had changed since he made his promise.
She then ruled out the possibility of her joining Narc Kenya. "That is DP and they cannot pretend to be anything else." Ngilu was referring to the Kikuyu party known as Democratic Party of Kenya which president Kibaki launched in Mombasa the day he resigned his health ministry portfolio in the Moi government on Christmas day 1991. Ngilu added that she was talking to various political parties in the hope of reviving a strong Narc alliance ahead of the forthcoming general elections. She even invited the president to join the alliance in his bid for re-election.
These cheeky remarks are Ngilu's trademark and the iron lady of Kenyan politics who still holds the distinction of being the only woman to stand for the highest office in the land (Wangari Mathai withdrew from the presidential race in the same year at the eleventh hour and did not even win the Tetu parliamentary seat in that election—1997) used those remarks to confirm the truth to Kenyans in a subtle but very effective way. This was much more convincing than the malicious statements full of emotion issued by the likes of Raila Odinga. Ngilu just stated the facts and even defended the right of the president to change his mind.
So why did President Kibaki have to lie to Kenyans and the world? Why did he not just say that he had changed his mind about seeking a second term because in his view circumstances were now different? If the president could tell a lie over such a minor issue where the truth would have done just as well, what else has he lied to Kenyans about in the four years of this administration which has limped from one crisis to another? Could Anglo Leasing be in the list of lies that he has told? That scandal which the president's supporters do not want mentioned and get very upset when the name of John Githongo comes up. Why do we want to pretend that it never happened?
From the support that the president is enjoying so far, it is clear that he is a Kikuyu candidate. Is the Kikuyu community telling us that they do not mind sending a liar back to State house as long as he is one of their own? Does Kenya not deserve better? It is rapidly emerging that even Raila will not do because of various broken promises of his own (see earlier articles in this blog).
This blog will continue to push for a fresh start where Kenyans should elect 210 fresh new faces that have never been to parliament before, even for the presidency. It is the only chance we have to truly get the genuine change we seek. Oh and about lack of experience, surely we can do without the sort of experience we have been voting to parliament. Namely experience in looting public funds, experience in lying without blinking and in experience in breaking promises and shattering dreams. For better or for worse Kenyans should try something totally new and different this time round.
Read this awesome African lion safari tale of an unlikely match at the Samburu Game Reserve. Meet also some of the people capable of giving you an unforgettable African safari holiday in Kenya.
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