Kenyan UI students worried
Bryce Bauer - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Metro
Unsurprisingly, they just want what everyone wants: peace in their homeland.
Yet, for most of the last month in Kenya, the native country of UI graduate students Martin Thuo and Evans Ochola, the exact opposite has happened.
Ever since that East African country's Dec. 27, 2007, presidential election, news reports daily have detailed increasing violence and ethnic killings. The turmoil, sparked originally by disputes over the election results' legitimacy, has begun to expose decades old ethnic disagreements, and it is seriously threatening the future of what has been considered one of the continent's more stable and successful nations. To date, more than 800 people have been killed and another 250,000 displaced, experts and international news reports state.
But it didn't have to be that way.
"Everyone was very excited because the people were excited to vote," said Thuo, who is here studying chemistry. He is originally from a small village near the city of Thika, just northeast of the country's capital, Nairobi. He was back visiting family over winter break, arriving just before the elections and violence and returning on Jan. 11.
Thuo is of the Kikuyu tribe, the same as that of the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki. Much of the strife has been with the Luo tribe, of which opposition candidate Raila Odinga is a member.
"The people have had tension before so when they have a reason to fight it is very easy for them to go out and fight," Thuo said. "I wish that people could just respect the rule of law and uphold the Constitution."
Thuo, 31, said his family, for the most part, is safe (although, recently he has been unable to place calls to the country). He criticized media reports for overstating the violence, noting many areas are still secure.
While official government results state Kibaki won the election, national and international officials have seriously questioned their accuracy, and, to many, Kibaki's win appears illegitimate.
Yet, for most of the last month in Kenya, the native country of UI graduate students Martin Thuo and Evans Ochola, the exact opposite has happened.
Ever since that East African country's Dec. 27, 2007, presidential election, news reports daily have detailed increasing violence and ethnic killings. The turmoil, sparked originally by disputes over the election results' legitimacy, has begun to expose decades old ethnic disagreements, and it is seriously threatening the future of what has been considered one of the continent's more stable and successful nations. To date, more than 800 people have been killed and another 250,000 displaced, experts and international news reports state.
But it didn't have to be that way.
"Everyone was very excited because the people were excited to vote," said Thuo, who is here studying chemistry. He is originally from a small village near the city of Thika, just northeast of the country's capital, Nairobi. He was back visiting family over winter break, arriving just before the elections and violence and returning on Jan. 11.
Thuo is of the Kikuyu tribe, the same as that of the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki. Much of the strife has been with the Luo tribe, of which opposition candidate Raila Odinga is a member.
"The people have had tension before so when they have a reason to fight it is very easy for them to go out and fight," Thuo said. "I wish that people could just respect the rule of law and uphold the Constitution."
Thuo, 31, said his family, for the most part, is safe (although, recently he has been unable to place calls to the country). He criticized media reports for overstating the violence, noting many areas are still secure.
While official government results state Kibaki won the election, national and international officials have seriously questioned their accuracy, and, to many, Kibaki's win appears illegitimate.
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