Calm Returns to Nairobi After Protests Over Uhuru's Victory
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21 2017
Kenya Daily Nation
Residents in Congo area of Kawangware, Nairobi County, go about their business on November 21, 2017 a day after calm returned to the area. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
Sporadic chaos, violence and demonstrations were witnessed in some areas after Monday’s Supreme Court decision that upheld President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory.
But on Tuesday, calm returned to the areas, businesses were opened and people went about their day-to-day activities.
By COLLINS OMULO
Calm has returned to most areas in Nairobi that experienced sporadic chaos, violence and demonstrations after Monday’s Supreme Court decision that upheld President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory.
A spot check by the Nation around Kawangware, Kibera, Githurai 45, Dandora and Kariobangi South established that most residents had already resumed their day-to-day activities, with business also slowly going back to normalcy.
BUSINESS AS USUAL
In Kawangware 46, it was business as usual as residents went about their activities, selling various wares as most businesses slowly opened and even matatus were plying their routes.
In Kawangware 56, Stage 2 and Congo, which witnessed running battles between youths who had barricaded roads and anti-riot police on Monday, normalcy had returned with only a few telltale signs of the chaos left behind.
Calm returns to Kibera.
Nevertheless, clusters of youths could be seen in different places chatting even as others were busy in their businesses.
“This area is now good. On Monday, I could not even open my business but now as you can see I am readying my wares for the day,” said Mama Muthoni, a mama mboga at Kawangware 56.
CALM
In Kibera, the area was peaceful and businesses were open. The area did not experience any widespread tension on Monday although there were reports that one person was killed.
The always volatile Ayany and Olympic areas was calm, with only pockets of youths chatting. There was no police presence in the area.
The same scenario was witnessed in Kariobangi South.
Calm returns to Kibera.
Most parts of the expansive Dandora was also calm, but there was tension in Awendo area in Dandora Phase 4 and a heavy police presence following claims that a woman had been raped in the area.
RUMOUR
However, in Githurai 45, tension remained high in Migingo area after rumours spread that a child had been killed following an argument between two women over the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The fake news heightened tensions in the area after boda boda riders from Githurai 45 made their way to the alleged scene of the incident to evict the woman who had committed the crime, stoning the gate to the five-storey building and baying for her blood.
“There was a false alarm that a Luo woman had thrown down a child belonging to a Kikuyu lady from this building, leading to her death. This led to the boda boda riders to come here to evict every person coming from the community,” said one resident who sought anonymity.
PEACE
He added that since Sunday, tension had been building up in the area.
Ruiru legislator Simon Ng’ang’a King’ara visited the area accompanied by police officers and the provincial administration to pacify the agitated riders and bring peace to the area.
“Let us coexist here in peace as brothers and sisters and leave politics behind us,” he urged residents.
Kenya Daily Nation
Residents in Congo area of Kawangware, Nairobi County, go about their business on November 21, 2017 a day after calm returned to the area. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
Sporadic chaos, violence and demonstrations were witnessed in some areas after Monday’s Supreme Court decision that upheld President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory.
But on Tuesday, calm returned to the areas, businesses were opened and people went about their day-to-day activities.
By COLLINS OMULO
Calm has returned to most areas in Nairobi that experienced sporadic chaos, violence and demonstrations after Monday’s Supreme Court decision that upheld President Uhuru Kenyatta’s victory.
A spot check by the Nation around Kawangware, Kibera, Githurai 45, Dandora and Kariobangi South established that most residents had already resumed their day-to-day activities, with business also slowly going back to normalcy.
BUSINESS AS USUAL
In Kawangware 46, it was business as usual as residents went about their activities, selling various wares as most businesses slowly opened and even matatus were plying their routes.
In Kawangware 56, Stage 2 and Congo, which witnessed running battles between youths who had barricaded roads and anti-riot police on Monday, normalcy had returned with only a few telltale signs of the chaos left behind.
Calm returns to Kibera.
Nevertheless, clusters of youths could be seen in different places chatting even as others were busy in their businesses.
“This area is now good. On Monday, I could not even open my business but now as you can see I am readying my wares for the day,” said Mama Muthoni, a mama mboga at Kawangware 56.
CALM
In Kibera, the area was peaceful and businesses were open. The area did not experience any widespread tension on Monday although there were reports that one person was killed.
The always volatile Ayany and Olympic areas was calm, with only pockets of youths chatting. There was no police presence in the area.
The same scenario was witnessed in Kariobangi South.
Calm returns to Kibera.
Most parts of the expansive Dandora was also calm, but there was tension in Awendo area in Dandora Phase 4 and a heavy police presence following claims that a woman had been raped in the area.
RUMOUR
However, in Githurai 45, tension remained high in Migingo area after rumours spread that a child had been killed following an argument between two women over the Supreme Court’s ruling.
The fake news heightened tensions in the area after boda boda riders from Githurai 45 made their way to the alleged scene of the incident to evict the woman who had committed the crime, stoning the gate to the five-storey building and baying for her blood.
“There was a false alarm that a Luo woman had thrown down a child belonging to a Kikuyu lady from this building, leading to her death. This led to the boda boda riders to come here to evict every person coming from the community,” said one resident who sought anonymity.
PEACE
He added that since Sunday, tension had been building up in the area.
Ruiru legislator Simon Ng’ang’a King’ara visited the area accompanied by police officers and the provincial administration to pacify the agitated riders and bring peace to the area.
“Let us coexist here in peace as brothers and sisters and leave politics behind us,” he urged residents.
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