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Kenya has gone mad this evening. Mad with fury over the apparent cooking of election results by the ECK (Electoral Committee of Kenya) in the country's presidential race. After the huge pride shown in having cast votes in a democratic process, the rumours of fiddling results is a sad disappointment and a slap in the face for many who hoped for change.
The EU and British have stated that they are 'not convinced' that the election results were fairly calculated. As soon as this was announced, mayhem broke out with rioting and violence country wide, especially centred in poorer towns and slum areas. We were poised to hear details of the chaos having been glued to the TV all day, when all the news channels simultaneously took a commercial break. After half an hour it was further announced that no live broadcasts were henceforward allowed by order of the minister of internal security, John Michuki - who was concerned about the incitement of further voilence.
During the drawn out election tallying process and the shenanegans reported in the press, we wondered where Mwai Kibaki was hiding out as he never once showed his face - only to find that as soon as his narrow victory was announced by the ECK chairman this evening, than the re elected president was magically poised in State House for a speedy inauguration ceremony staged within less then two hours of his tentative victory, accompanied by a few honoured invited guests. Curiouser and curiouser
Lucky we all went crazy stocking up on food this morning for a seige. My friends with access to BBC and Sky news (we have a satellite software problem at the moment) say that Raila Odinga plans to stage his own rival inauguration ceremony tomorrow to celebrate the victory that has been robbed from him. I predict that this won't help matters to settle down.
As we turn in for the night, we can hear the booms, shouts and shots carried on the wind from the direction of town and Kibera slum. God knows what a scene we will wake up to tomorrow.