Just when you are having fun it takes one incident to bring you down to reallity and realize just where you are. This is probably my least postive post but I just needed to get some worries out of my system.
A couple nights back while I was out enjoying myself in the early evening around 8:30 PM I got a call from home asking where I was cos they were hearing gunshots in the neighbourhood that indeed is worrying cos I stay in one of the surburbs not far from Nairobi that is prone to high levels of violent crime especially in the recent past. Seeing that I was still in town and that was quite an early hour I just promised to call as soon as I get near home so that someone can be ready to open the gate for me.
Got home at around 11:00 only to find out that one of our neighbours had been shot dead.
Apparently the thugs had been monitoring him and knew that he comes home early so they waited for him to come home and pounced on him as he was getting in and held him and his family hostage as they demanded money (I wonder how they expect people to keep large amounts of money at home nowadays). Meanwhile one of the employees who was outside managed to escape and rush to the nearby police post which is less than 500M away. For once nobody could complain about the police responce, the police rushed there and managed to shoot dead 2 of the thugs who were outside but probably out of spite the gangsters shot the man of the house as they were making the getaway, one of the cops also got shot on the leg.
This incident whch was too close to home for my comfort has definately brought the realities of insecurity in our neighbourhood and in our country in general. Every time I am going out even last night the thought of whether I will get home safetly is always at the back of the mind and much as I try I can’t help but worry not just for myself but for the people at home. It used to be that thugs ussually struck at late hours of the night but nowadays anytime is possible in fact I’m just about the only person at home who has not been carjacked (knock on wood!) and all those incidences have been before 8:00 PM, just recently one of our neighbours house was broken into after 5:00 AM I heard the alarm go off but on checking the time I dismissed it cos that is basically dawn and you wouldn’t expect any breakins at that time.
That brings me to tbe terrified state most of the people in Nairobi and its surroundings endure every day I find it very stricking how in Embu I am able to sleep soundly throughout the night but when I am here every bark of the dog or sound in the night makes you jump out of sleep with your heart pounding. Every house is a fortress with all manners of gates, burglar proof grills, dogs and alarms. At home we have even installed vibration sensors and motion sensors all over the house but still that doesn’t give you any assurance. I am not optimistic that the situation will change soon despite the capture/elimination of some of the most wanted gangsters. I wish there was something more I could do to help the situation because as much as I live in a safer place there is still the knowledge that people I care about are in danger and that sickens me.
Now onto less grim matters, Yesterday I managed to catch the Kiddum show at Galilleos and what a blast it was. Several bloggers in attendance including the recently landed JM it was definately good to put a face on several of the people who you only knew by their aliases. The ambience and music was terrific some dancing and generally alot of fun for all. Definately a good way to spend my vacation. How I wonder how those who had to go to work in the morning dealt with it.
My rant of the week goes to those wives who complain when you go for drinks with their husbands and come back either very late or the next morning saying you are spoiling their men. They should realise and accept that their husbands are grown up men and are fully responsible for their own actions and not their friends. Washidwe kabisa I am not your husbands keeper!
10:30
