R is for riots, religion and rustling.

I have thus far tried to stay clear of mentioning religion as history, and the recent attacks on US Embassies, show it is far too often a source of friction and a topic where it is so easy to cause offence. But its a central part of life here and its been a particular theme over the last couple of weeks so I thought I would throw caution to the wind and give a feel for the various ways it touches us here.

Kenya is a deeply Christian country, with church a big part of weekend family life. On our own occasional family Sunday strolls in the local park or the karura forest in the North of Nairobi we find ourselves in the company of crowds of churchgoers out for post Sunday service walks or picnics in their Sunday best. We have also made some very good friends amongst the Christian missions here (and I've learnt how to adjust my cake making to successfully bake at altitude on the guidance of an ancient American missionary cook book - a big impact on our life!). Whilst the boys are neutral on their own position on God (baking aside), Katie is adamant that he doesn't exist and quizzes her church going Kenyan friends about why they bother to go since God isn't real. They in turn wonder if she is a ghost and her teacher last year, faced by Katie and an equally committed second English 6 year old atheist, concluded that C of E members believed in nothing.

But alongside this predominantly christian (with a fair bit of tribal tradition mixed in) culture, there are also some long established Muslim communities, particularly on the coastal area in and around Mombasa, where the trading links have traditionally been with gulf countries across the sea rather than Internal African neighbours. As Kenyan politicians build towards elections in March, the coastal region has an important part to play in negotiating various power alliances. Quite how big that role will be has been a particular subject of discussion in the last couple of weeks after some serious disturbances in Mombasa, triggered by the shooting of a local cleric. As ever, there's a complicated back story and the riots were not simply bubbling up of inter-faith tensions. But they did reveal some of the problems that are pretty close to the surface here.

And whilst the riots got international press coverage and tragically killed at least four people they were contained relatively quickly. Further along the coast there is a much less internationally reported tension between nomadic pastoralists and farmers in the Tana river delta. For the last few weeks there have been seemingly relentless attacks and counter attacks between the 2 sections of the community and over 100 people have died so far, not to mention the numerous people left homeless after houses have been torched and without livelihoods after cattle have been stolen or destroyed in the violence. The Kenyan parliament has been debating this crisis at length and various people and politicians have been lamed for inciting hatred. But the main thing I am left feeling is that, as with Mombasa, there are some pretty entrenched tensions between communities here, with violence often close to the surface. And right now, with national teachers and doctors strikes added to the mix, it doesn't feel like the road to Kenyan elections in March is going to be very smooth.



Anne