Kenya: Man Who Lost Seven in Family Fears to Return
July 18, 2008
18 July 2008
Posted to the web 17 July 2008
Barnabas Bii
Nairobi
As victims of the post-election violence started to return to their farms, Mzee Joseph Mwangi Macharia remained a lonely and worried man in an isolated camp in Uasin Gishu District.
At the age of 72 years, Mzee Macharia is reluctant to return to his five-acre piece of land in Chakiaya Village of Burnt Forest. He believes that the Government is doing enough to restore peace in areas affected by the post-election violence, but he is reluctant to return.
"It has been difficult for me to overcome the trauma haunting me following the violent killings and destruction that happened in broad daylight," says Mzee Macharia as he talks of the political violence sparked off by the disputed presidential results. It is as though the violence took place Thursday.
Looking frail and disturbed, Mzee Macharia tells how he lost seven family members, including his wife Miriam Njoki.
So when the Kriegler Commission visited Uasin Gishu District several days ago, Mzee Macharia seized the "golden chance" to express his opinions about what caused the violence.
Even after waiting for more than 10 hours at the Eldoret Municipal Hall, the venue of the event, chances of airing his views remained elusive. At the end of it all, Mzee Macharia returned to the camp at Timboroa, about 70 kilometres from Eldoret Town, a disappointed man.
Political violence
"My chance will come one day. We need to be told of the main causes of political violence and come up with solutions on how to avoid a repeat," said Mzee Macharia as he boarded a vehicle back to Bishop Muge Camp, which neighbours his farm.
Chakaiya Village in the trouble hit Burnt Forest was thrown into shock when police exhumed seven bodies of Mzee Macharia’s family as investigations into perpetrators of post-election violence intensified.
Apart from the remains of wife Njoki, other bodies were of his sons Daniel Irungu (35), Joel Ngechu (23) and Pharis Macharia (36), daughter Milka Nyambura (25) and grand children Miria Njoki (7) and Joseph Mwangi (7).
According to the villagers, the seven were hacked to death at the height of the violence on the eve of the New Year.
"We hurriedly buried the seven in the shallow grave and fled due to fear of attacks," said Mr Peter Gacheru Kariuki, one of Mzee Macharia’s relatives.
Hundreds of villagers and pathologists led by Dr Kamau Wainaina from Rift Valley Provincial Hospital turned up to witness the bodies being exhumed.
More than 300 people were killed and over 150,000 others displaced in the North Rift region during the skirmishes.
Enduring the pain
"After enduring all the pain, we had to accord them a decent burial. Police helped us to achieve exactly that," said one of the relatives.
Mzee Macharia discloses that the bodies were buried in three coffins, that of Mrs Njoki in her own while the rest shared the other two.
According to Uasin Gishu OCPD Muinde Kioko, some suspects have been arrested in connection with the post-election violence. Others have been arraigned in court.
"Investigations to bring to book perpetrators of the post-election violence is on and some suspects have even appeared in court to face charges," explains Mr Muinde.
Police in April exhumed another body of post-election victim in the same village following a crackdown on those behind the chaos.
Conflicting reports
There have been conflicting reports between the Government and political leaders over the exact number of suspects arrested in connection with the post-election violence and where they are being held for interrogation.
Whereas the Government maintains that only 103 suspects have been arrested, politicians placed the figure at thousands. Area leaders want them to be released in order to facilitate speedy reconciliation and resettlement process.
Most of the victims displaced during the violence have been relocated to transitional camps close to their farms to enable them access the farms and engage in other income generating activities.
But to Mzee Macharia, the idea of going back to his Chakasiya farm is not among his priorities unless the Government guarantees him adequate security.
"It is too early to contemplate going back considering all the losses I have incurred in life," says Mzee Macharia as he counts what he used to own before the violence.
But all is not lost for the man who says he is a Christian. "Life is not a straight line and I trust that I will one day be able to recollect myself and resume my usual lifestyle," Mzee Macharia says summoning some confidence.