In the right circumstances, a little greed exercised by only a few people can mean enormous suffering for many. Such has been the aftermath of the Kenyan elections held less than two weeks ago, which has resulted in hundreds of deaths and hundreds of thousands of people being displaced from their homes.
Now, according to the International Monetary Fund, Kenya is facing an economic catastrophe, and the effect is spreading to Kenya’s neighbouring countries. Uganda and Rwanda rely heavily on petroleum, machinery and other goods imported through the Kenyan port of Mombasa. According to one estimate, Kenya is losing around $40 million per day as the result of disruptions to business.
So far there is no clear way forward in resolving the tensions following the disputed election results. The Kikuyu people fear reprisals from non-Kikuyu people if Mr Kibaki’s claim to presidency is not upheld, while others fear the consequences if Mr Odinga’s claim to the presidency is not upheld. Violence breeds more violence, making a peaceful resolution more difficult each day.