So...the elections came and went. It was an interesting couple of weeks, high drama but fortunately little violence and unrest. We are all slowly getting through our election supplies, of mainly noodles and alcohol!
There are huge billboards across the city now thanking Kenyan for keeping the peace. The queues to vote were so long, and many Kenyans stood in line for at least 5 hours. I admired the patience, and wondered if I would give up a holiday to wait in line for so much of the day! Kenyatta seems very popular although perhaps still a little controversial but more so on the international scene.
Of course, security measures remain tight but sometimes dubious. Yesterday I popped into a supermarket quickly before going to meet a friend who is kindly taking a suitcase back to the UK for me. I was stopped at security for my car to be checked as per usual. The askari returned and asked me, "What is in the suitcase. Clothes?"
"Yes," I said, "and a few household items".
His next question, "Are you a terrorist? No, you can't be a terrorist, not with that face!" And through I went.
In school we no longer have to practice our evacuation drills. The children still ask to do it though-they loved locking the doors and hiding under the tables! We called it the lion drill as they do keep escaping so it is maybe not an impossibility that we would have to use it one day!
There are huge billboards across the city now thanking Kenyan for keeping the peace. The queues to vote were so long, and many Kenyans stood in line for at least 5 hours. I admired the patience, and wondered if I would give up a holiday to wait in line for so much of the day! Kenyatta seems very popular although perhaps still a little controversial but more so on the international scene.
Of course, security measures remain tight but sometimes dubious. Yesterday I popped into a supermarket quickly before going to meet a friend who is kindly taking a suitcase back to the UK for me. I was stopped at security for my car to be checked as per usual. The askari returned and asked me, "What is in the suitcase. Clothes?"
"Yes," I said, "and a few household items".
His next question, "Are you a terrorist? No, you can't be a terrorist, not with that face!" And through I went.
In school we no longer have to practice our evacuation drills. The children still ask to do it though-they loved locking the doors and hiding under the tables! We called it the lion drill as they do keep escaping so it is maybe not an impossibility that we would have to use it one day!
