Election Day

So today is election day in Kenya. I have found out that this means everything is shut down. The grocery stores, the shops on the street. Everything except the hotel that we spend our free time in and the internet cafe. Even my trip to the Masai Mara has been postponed until next week due to the elections. I was quite upset about it. But apparently, since they haven't had many elections here (They had the same president before this one for 24 years!) It is a HUGE ordeal. People need the time to wait in long lines. However, before I leave here in a couple of weeks (as a matter of fact in the next couple of days) they might have a new president. There has been some fighting and rioting in Nairobi, the capital city. I am about 3 hours from that. They are hopeful that the election results will be peaceful and if not, I am hoping that things will have calmed down by the time I leave in 2 weeks since I have to fly out of Nairobi. Those of you who pray, pray for a peaceful government in Kenya. It has been quite interesting to hear about Kenyan politics while I have been here. There has been campaigning in the streets. Even up where I live, which is mostly farming and slums. There are posters and hats and signs everywhere.

Kenya has many political parities, but some of them get together so that they end up having 2 major candidates much like we do in the states. The race is between the incumbent president Kibaki and another guy whose name is escaping me right now, but his party is the ODM party and it uses an Orange as its symbol. Being one who loves politics. . . it is quite neat to see how it operates in a different country. Everyone on the street has their view as to who they think the president should be. Personally, I am hoping that Kibaki is reinstated. He has been president for 5 years, and under his leadership he has made primary education free (if you can afford the school uniform). He wants to work on secondary education (high school) in his next term. Of course the other candidate is saying the same thing, but Kibaki has proved that he can do it. I think most of the problems in Kenya will be made better with a better education system.

Election day. . .Yet another side to Kenya. I am so lucky to be experiencing this trip even if I am dying to have a cookout burger and milkshake :)