January - 21 - 2008 Article

Slums diary/21st Jan 2008

Mathare/Robbery

As calm continues to return in some slums within Nairobi, a section of Mlango Kubwa residents have decided to unite behind mob justice against muggers.
Last week a middle aged man was attacked by a mob to death for allegedly snatching a mobile phone from a passer-by.
The man tried to run away with the said phone in vain.
The angry mob caught up suspect, beat him up to death before lynching him in broad day light.
Residents asserted that some youths are taking advantage of the ongoing post election chaos to engage in minor theft.
They have vowed to stop at nothing until order is maintained in their residential place.
Callystuss Mutuku

Embakasi/calm returns

Both public and private Schools in Embakasi reopened last week without any interference, with Calm and peace being experienced for the better part of the week.
Christine, a resident of Embakasi and an employee at the Embakasi Parochial school, which is under the Christ the King Catholic church told our reporters in the area that most pupils reported on the opening date.
She commended the area residents for maintaining peace.
Businesses have been reopened and the daily routine is on.
Residents here hope that calm and peace will be maintained not only in Embakasi but across the country.
Elizabeth Nduva and Lucy Kilonzo

Huruma/Tension

Huruma residents continued with their businesses as usual last week without any interference.
The tension that had been experienced there for some days was no more and only the destroyed properties would depict that the area had been affected by the post election skirmishes.
The Huruma's return to normalcy is attributed by many to the effects of an ecumenical prayer session that was organized with the help of Fr. Mario Porto of kariobangi parish recently.
The interdenominational peace prayers were held at Huruma's social hall last Saturday.
Fred Adino

Lucky summer/Celebrations

Lucky summer residents could not hide their joy on Tuesday evening last week when Mr. Kenneth Marende emerged the winner after a hotly contested national assembly speaker's election.
Margaret Akinyi who spoke to the slums diary said that the way the election was conducted was an indication of a true symbol of democracy in the republic.
Meanwhile on Thursday at around noon members of the general service unit were present in lucky summer, Baba dogo and kariobangi estate to dispersing rowdy youths who were causing mayhem by causing destruction to peoples property and taking advantage to loot in the name of peaceful demonstrations against the disputed general elections.
This paralyzed business for the better part of the day.
However there were no cases of injury and calm returned in the evening.
Kevin Odhiambo

Dandora/school reopening

Most schools in Dandora reopened on Monday last week, as per the government schedule.
However schools in Dandora phase 4 - one of the areas badly affected by the post election violence, recorded a low pupil turnout.
A spot check around the area revealed that most private schools remained closed last week.
An area resident George Omondi, told the slums diary reporter in Dandora that private schools could not reopen because some operated from rented premises which were either torched or vandalized during the post election skirmishes.
However most of the pupils who reported to school expressed optimism that peace will prevail.
Some called on the political leaders to unite for the sake of peace prevalence.
Linus kakuta a pupil at Tom Mboya primary school appealed to those who are fighting to end the violence for the sake of peace.
Bernard Adera

Soweto/security

There was drama on Wednesday afternoon in Soweto when military officers jumped over their fence to get hold of a man said to be of Italian origin for allegedly taking a photo with his camera facing the barracks.
The photographer quickly fled for a hideout when onlookers alerted him to do so after realizing that some military men were on their way to arrest him.
The man was eventually found at the residence of Community Pope John xxiii based in Kahawa west's
Soweto slums.
The man was interrogated before being taken to Kasarani police station where he was released two days later after he was found innocent.
Nicholas Wamae

Soweto/schools reopen

Still in Kahawa west most schools reopened last week as expected though some pupils could be spotted out of school with their parents looking for books and uniforms as part of the reopening preparations.
Both public and private primary schools had reserved vacancies for any child displaced from different areas in the country.
On secondary schools, high competition for a chance in the public institutions has been experienced following the governments move to ease the burden of school fees payment.
Those who graduated from primary schools last year are still waiting for their admission letters from secondary schools and more students are also expected to join form one.
Nicholas Wamae/ Rahab Wambui

Kibera/Calm

The Calling off of the three days protests that started on Wednesday last week by the ODM leaders brings a sigh of relief to businessmen in Kibera.
Most businesses had not been operating well since Wednesday last week.
A sport check by the slums diary reporter reveals that most schools also did not reopen for fear of the lives of children with those that opened registering a high turn out of pupils.
Some parents also considered transferring their children to other schools far from the areas hit by conflicts.
One parent told our reporter that his children would seek admission to schools in the rural areas where there is peace and a good atmosphere for learning.
It is feared that if the state of skirmishes continues most private schools will be adversely affected and could even close down.
Residents are appealing to politicians to find a quick just and peaceful long lasting solution to the problem.
Daniel Ochieng

Korogocho/Education

Primary and secondary schools have opened for the first term session against fears of poor attendance.
The Slums Diary has established that most schools in Korogocho have not reopened.
Parents who spoke to Slums Diary reporter confirmed that many children were scattered across the country and reluctant to return to the city due to the prevailing post election violence.
Ngunyumu Primary School, one of the two government schools in Korogocho has not reopened alongside most of the private and informal schools.
Daniel Comboni Primary school reopened and closed as a result of the three day violence which has haunted Korogocho and Kariobangi due following a three days of demonstration called last week by the Orange Democratic Party.
St. John Informal School remained open for the better part of the week though less than one hundred pupils out of the school's eight hundred pupils were attending classes.
On Friday, the school was forced to close earlier due to increased gunshots.
Meanwhile, a section of parents in Korogocho have said that the post election violence has disoriented their plans to prepare their children for the schools opening.
They are unable to purchase uniforms and other school requirements since they have exhausted all the little savings they had.
Most of their children attend private schools, which charge high school fees, and many pupils are likely to be sent away.
Japheth oluoch