Voter registration in Kibera, one
of the worst-hit places for
post-election violence in 2008of a lifetime
THOMASMUKOYA/REUTERSpopularly together as UhuRuto, used to
great effect in shoring up support in the
2013 poll. The duo, who had been on
opposing sides in the aftermath of the
December2007election,cametogether
to cast the ICC as imperialists trying
to intervene in Kenya’s politics. But in
this election, rising food prices, youth
unemployment and soaring national
debt have turned many against the pair.ONEMEALADAY
Billy Sipayo, 32, amatatuconductor,
takes a break from hustling for fares to
talk about the election. “Look at this
road, the governor has done nothing
for Nakuru,” he says, motioning to the
potholed surface beneath his feet. “We
want Nasa to win the national race be-
cause of the economy. We are backing
Nasa because of the rising cost of food
–nowadayswetakeonlyonemealaday.
Jubilee swallows public money.”
In a veterinary supply store down the
street,threewomensitbehindacounter.
“There’salotoftensionhere,sowedon’t
knowwhatwillhappen,”saysonewoman,
who wears a white doctor’s coat and
declinestogivehername.“Thewaythey
are campaigning is making us worried.
The words they are using are scaring us
because they are saying the results will
not be fair and [local politicians] are
going to dispute the results.”
As the race gets closer, worries about
violence are mounting in many areas.
Inter-ethnic tensions are simmering
all along the Rift Valley, pastoralists are
clashing in Laikipia and deep-rooted
mistrust of the central government is
heating up the Coast. In the last elec-
tion, both sides preached peace in the
hope of avoiding the horrors of the 2007
elections,whichsawabout1,300people
killed and 600,000 displaced.
One of the worst-hit areas in the
country was Nairobi’s Kibera slum.
Long-time resident Moses Ambasa,
64, lived through that crisis. He says a
repeat of electoral violence is likely this31