CHILLING Encounters Of A Journalist Who Covered PEV In The RIFT VALLEY

2007-2008 Kenya had it's share of dark moments. Following highly contested elections the country plunged into war,neighbours turned on each other slashing,torching,looting,raping and doing all kind of inhuman acts.

A war between tribes is what it escalated into,lives were lost through butchering and police executions. Women were raped,men forcefully circumcised with broken bottles. Its not news to any Kenyan or any other person following the case thatinnocent people were cornered at a church in Kiambaa and burnt alive to death.

The violence came to an halt after the international community through Kofi Annan brokered a power deal between Raila and Kibaki the main contestants. But as this happened a case was opened at the international criminal court to look into the violence and possibly bring the perpetrators into books.

The then prosecutor of the court Ocampo named six key suspects namely: Ali,Muthaura,Kosgei,Uhuru,Ruto and Sang. The first three have since been acquitted of the crimes leaving behind the other three.

Kenya is said to have healed,at least what the suspects and their lawyers say. IDPs resettled. The suspects have taken the limelight and in this case it can be read as if they've taken the victims role pleading guilty and victims of malice.

Are the real victims forgotten? One journalist who was at the middle of the skirmishes and witnessed everything first hand,has come out in solidarity with the victims.

" I was a reporter when the PEV
happened in January 2008. Douglas Okwatch was the associate news editor at The Standard, and
thanks to him I embarked in a journey that has forever haunted me. I saw bodies that had been
uncollected for four days in Naivasha, their torsos bloated into macabre shapes. I saw a
headless body at Mathare North.

I saw 12 mutilated bodies piled in an abandoned tank in Naivasha. I saw a bullet whip through the head
of our photojournalist at Kibera, but he survived. These scenes do not know any tribe and political
affiliation. Somehow, I have never stopped thinking that we are all responsible.

I don't care what will happen to the suspects at The Hague. But what happened to the victims? Who will
stand up for them?" Peter Thatiah





The victims are represented by lawyer Nderitu in the ongoing trials and places their hopes for justice on the court. May they get it.